According to Mirzamakhmudov, the decrease in electricity generation is related to a 35% reduction in water flow. While new small and micro hydropower plants with capacities ranging from 1 to 5 megawatts were only able to produce 140 million kilowatt-hours, which is a negligible amount.
The minister added that in the context of water resource shortages, Uzbekistan will continue to develop hydropower, but will also pay attention to alternative energy sources, including solar and wind energy, as well as storage systems. He noted that the construction of large hydropower plants takes 6 to 10 years, so in the short term, green technologies remain the most effective way to ensure stable energy supply.
