A master plan for energy development up to 2050 will be developed in Uzbekistan. Special sites will be designated for data centers
In Uzbekistan, a National Master Plan for Energy Development up to 2050 will be developed for the first time, the President announced. Sites with access to power grids and "green" energy will be allocated in advance for large data centers. Investors will also be offered opportunities to earn from carbon credits.
Uzbekistan to prepare a master plan for energy development through 2050. Special sites will be allocated for data centers
On October 16, during an open dialogue with investors in the fuel and energy sector, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the development of the National Energy Development Master Plan of Uzbekistan through 2050.
This document will be created and published in the public domain for the first time. It is planned to present a map of electrical grid connection opportunities by March 1, 2027, and the full master plan by July 1.
The documents will identify regions where electricity consumption is expected to grow, infrastructure development needs, and the most effective locations for siting new generation capacity.
It is assumed that such information will allow investors to evaluate grid connection opportunities in advance and design their projects with a long-term perspective.
The President noted that the development of new power plants must be coordinated with the construction of electrical grids and energy storage systems. Power generation, transmission, and storage must function as a unified system.
In particular, part of the electricity needs of Fergana, Andijan, and Namangan regions is currently covered by generation in other regions. The launch of new industrial zones and major enterprises is expected to increase the load on electrical grids even further.
The President paid special attention to the development of artificial intelligence and data processing centers (data centers), which were named among the areas with rapidly growing demand for electricity.
For the placement of such facilities, it is planned to identify sites in advance that have land plots, grid connection capabilities, and access to renewable energy sources.
During the design of each major data center, main and backup power supply, energy storage, and equipment cooling systems must be comprehensively taken into account.
At the same time, investors will be expected to use technologies that ensure efficient consumption of not only electricity, but also water.
Another focus area will be the creation of additional revenue streams for renewable energy producers.
In particular, it is planned to open opportunities for earning from "green" energy certificates and carbon credits.
For this purpose, mechanisms for the fair distribution of income between the state and investors will be developed.
As noted at the meeting, the implementation of these mechanisms must fully take into account Uzbekistan's international environmental commitments and the terms of existing investment agreements.
As a reminder, the President previously stated the need to revise the approach to the placement of new power plants. According to him, the practice of constructing facilities on sites proposed by investors led to the concentration of generating capacities in individual regions and an increase in power transmission costs.
Now, the authorities intend to determine the needs of the power system in advance and offer fully prepared projects in open tenders. Tenders for six solar and wind generation projects with a total capacity of 2,200 MW are planned to be held in the near future.