Central Asia will face a permanent and persistent water scarcity in 2028-2029, the EDB press service says.
The water deficit is estimated at about 5-12 cubic kilometers annually, while the demand for electricity in Central Asia is expected to increase significantly over the next 10 years, Chairman of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Management Board Nikolai Podguzov stated.
In the period up to 2035, it is planned to increase the capacity of local hydroelectric power plants by 8,900 MW due to the modernization of already functioning HPPs and the construction of new ones. The largest new projects being implemented in the region include the construction of the 1,860 MW Kambaratinskaya HPP-1 in the Kyrgyz Republic and the 3,600 MW Rogunskaya HPP in Tajikistan, the Chairman noted.
“According to our estimates, Central Asia is one of the few regions in the world where the hydropower potential has been developed by less than 25%. Currently, there are more than 80 hydroelectric power plants operating in the region, with a total installed capacity of about 14,000 MW,” Nikolai Podguzov added.
The EDB is planning to invest over $400 million in the development of the water and energy complex of Central Asia over the next three years. This year, the EDB started financing the construction of the 100 MW Kulanak HPP in the Kyrgyz Republic and is conducting negotiations on financing other HPP projects that include Kambaratinskaya HPP-1 and Rogunskaya HPP – the largest hydroelectric power plants in Central Asia.
Source : Akipress
