Kyrgyzstan is actively modernizing its hydroelectric power plants, attracting international companies and financing to improve the capacity and reliability of the energy system. The reconstruction of the Toktogul, Uch-Kurgan and Lebedinovskaya hydroelectric power stations will not only increase electricity generation, but also extend the service life of the equipment, but a temporary reduction in capacity will require energy imports and rational consumption by the population.
The Toktogul hydroelectric power station, the largest in the country, is completing a large-scale renovation program. From February 20, 2025, the French company GE Hydro will begin reconstruction of the fourth hydraulic unit, which will add 60 megawatts to the station’s capacity. After replacing all four units, the total capacity will reach 1440 megawatts. However, until December 2025, the output of the Toktogul hydroelectric power station will be temporarily reduced by 300 megawatts, which forces the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan to negotiate the purchase of electricity from neighboring countries.
The Uch-Kurgan hydroelectric power station, commissioned back in 1962, is also undergoing modernization. From March 1, 2025, the Chinese company CNEEC will begin updating the second hydraulic unit, increasing its capacity by 9 megawatts. Earlier, in 2024, similar work on the fourth unit added 16 megawatts to the station’s capacity. During the work, until its completion by December 2025, the Uch-Kurgan hydroelectric power station, whose equipment has not been repaired for decades, will temporarily reduce production by 45 megawatts. The department urged citizens to use resources sparingly in the autumn-winter period.
Lebedinovskaya HPP, a key facility in the Alamedin hydroelectric power cascade, received €13.8 million in funding from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The project, which started in 2023, envisages an increase in capacity from 7.6 to 9.2 megawatts, an increase in annual output by 56% and an increase in efficiency to 90%. The upgrade, which will be completed by the end of 2027, will extend the life of the plant by 30–40 years, ensuring a stable energy and water supply to the region. Consultations on the implementation of the project are conducted by LLC «Group of Independent Engineers».
