During the meeting, it was stated that over the past eight years, electricity production has increased by 38 percent, reaching 81.5 billion kilowatt-hours. The opening of extensive opportunities for the private sector has led to the creation of new capacities totaling 11.2 gigawatts. As a result, the share of the private sector in generation has reached 24 percent, while the share of "green" energy stands at 16 percent.
During this period, household incomes have grown by 1.6 times, and electricity consumption in households has increased by 21 billion kilowatt-hours due to the use of new types of household appliances. This is double the amount consumed in 2016.
By 2030, the country's population is expected to reach 41 million people, and the economy is projected to grow by 1.5 times. Accordingly, it is planned to create added value in the industry amounting to 45 billion dollars, triple the volume of services, and launch large data centers.
It was noted that, first and foremost, stable energy supply is necessary for this. According to calculations, by 2030, 117 billion kilowatt-hours will be required, and by 2035, 135 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity will be needed. This is 1.7 times more than what is currently required.
During the meeting, the Minister of Energy presented a long-term program aimed at achieving these goals.
As mentioned, new power plants and energy storage capacities will be built. To connect them to the system, 7,000 kilometers of trunk networks will be constructed, along with the implementation of digital management. This will ensure energy balance in the regions. If one region faces an electricity shortage, additional capacities will be available in another area. To implement these projects over the next five years, it will be necessary to attract investments amounting to 4 billion dollars into the "National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan."
One of the most important tasks is to reduce the cost of electricity. Alternative energy sources are one of the factors contributing to this.
Currently, the cost of one kilowatt-hour at thermal power plants is 5-6 cents, while at solar and wind stations, it averages around 3 cents. Foreign experts also note that Uzbekistan has significant potential for "green" energy.
Based on this, by 2030, it is planned to increase the share of "green" energy in total generation to more than 50 percent. In particular, it is planned to commission 3,000 micro-hydropower plants with a total capacity of 164 megawatts, as well as small solar and wind stations with a capacity of 750 megawatts.
Recently, the head of state emphasized that it is time to transition to a resource-saving economic model.
Specifically, in industry, by improving energy efficiency, an additional 27 percent of gross domestic product can be created. Currently, energy consumption at some local chemical and metallurgical enterprises is twice as high as the global average, and in cement production, it is 1.2 times higher.
In this regard, the task has been set to save 10-15 percent of energy in each sector and reduce electricity losses by 2030 from the current 14 percent to 8-9 percent.
Work has begun with foreign investors on projects with a capacity of 24 gigawatts valued at 26 billion dollars. A significant amount of equipment and construction materials will be used for these projects. It has been noted that this presents a great opportunity for local enterprises, and it is essential to develop localization and cooperation within the framework of these projects.
Tasks have been defined for stable and uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers and for the development of training programs for the industry.
Responsible officials have been instructed to develop a power sector development program up to 2035, taking into account the discussed aspects.