Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibrayev last week met with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials in Manila to discuss the bank’s participation in the country’s energy projects, including the construction of the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP), an ambitious regional initiative being jointly undertaken by Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
During the meeting, the ADB expressed its readiness to consider the allocation of $130 million–$150 million for the first stage of the Kambarata-1 project, which requires significant investment and modern technologies.
The Kambarata-1 HPP, with a projected capacity of 1,860 megawatts and an average annual electricity generation of 5.6 billion kilowatt-hours, will be constructed at an estimated cost exceeding $4 billion. It will be located in the upper reaches of the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan. Upon completion, it will become the largest hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan and is expected to address the country’s chronic electricity shortages.
Minister Ibrayev expressed confidence that ADB would be able to play a key role in supporting the Kambarata-1 project both in terms of financing and expert and technical assistance.
The governments of the three participating countries previously requested the World Bank’s assistance in preparing and financing the Kambarata-1 HPP construction.
According to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy, Kyrgyzstan, with the World Bank’s technical support, is currently updating the project’s feasibility study. This includes assessing the technical, economic, financial, environmental, and social dimensions of the Kambarata-1 HPP.
Kyrgyzstan is also progressing with preparatory stages of the project, which include the construction of access roads to the future HPP site, electricity transmission lines and a power substation, a bridge across the Naryn River, and a shift camp to house HPP construction workers.
At the meeting, Ibrayev also proposed ADB to participate in the rehabilitation of Kyrgyzstan’s 800 MW Kurpsai HPP, including the modernization of the plant’s four hydroelectric units with an increase in their capacity by 20% (up to 160 MW). ADB agreed to consider the possibility of financing the project after the completion of its feasibility study.
The minister also proposed that ADB support the Uch-Korgon HPP modernization project. One hydroelectric unit at the plant has already been modernized, and the second unit will be launched by the end of 2025. However, given the current electricity shortage in the country, two more units need to be rehabilitated in 2026.
In addition, ADB agreed to continue the ongoing project to install a floating solar power plant at HPP-5 in northern Kyrgyzstan. Earlier, a pilot 100 kW solar power unit was installed on the HPP-5 reservoir with ADB support. The next stage of the project is to cover the entire surface of the reservoir with photovoltaic panels with an increase in installed capacity to 15 MW.
