The government of Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement with a consortium of Chinese companies on an investment in four cascaded hydropower plants along the Naryn River, as part of efforts to address the severe electricity shortage in the central Asian country.
According to the agreement, the four hydropower plants have a combined installed capacity of 1,160 MW. These plants are scheduled to break ground in 2024 and start operations by 2030.
The investment is the largest in the history of Kyrgyzstan. The construction is valued at over $2 billion, with a total estimated investment ranging from $2.4 to $3 billion, subject to final determination based on the detailed design.
PowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation, Green Gold Energy, and China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation are the Chinese companies in the consortium and all have extensive experience on large-scale infrastructure projects inside China and globally.
Prior to this, China signed a deal with Kyrgyzstan at the China-Central Asia summit in May to build a solar power project in Issyk-Kul – one of the region's largest lakes – in eastern Kyrgyzstan. Once operational in 2025, the solar project will provide about 17% of total power generation in the country.
"In the coming years we will not only make up for our deficit in electricity production but will confidently reach levels that will allow us to earn hundreds of millions of dollars a year by exporting electricity," Akylbek Japarov, the chairman of the Kyrgyz cabinet of ministers, said at the July 27 signing ceremony in Kyrgyzstan.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Harry Huo)
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