Uzbekistan's President Announces Leadership Changes and New Priorities for the Energy Sector
Uzbekistan
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference on the future priorities of Uzbekistan's fuel and energy sector, reviewing the results of recent reforms, criticizing management performance and announcing a series of leadership changes.
According to the President, the sector has attracted US$23 billion in foreign investment over the past decade, while 9.5 GW of new power generation capacity has been commissioned across the country. He also noted that UZS 30 trillion has been allocated to modernize electricity and gas networks, substations, transformers and gas distribution infrastructure—six times more than the amount invested during the previous 25 years.
Mirziyoyev said the sector's main challenge is not financing but management efficiency. He reported that around 4,000 power system failures occurred during June and July alone, with some households and businesses left without electricity for up to 8–10 hours.
The meeting heard that electricity network losses currently stand at 17.2%, while 4.8 billion kWh of electricity was lost during the first six months of the year. In several cities and districts, losses exceed 25%. Officials also reported that more than 300,000 gas meters and 234,000 electricity meters connected to the automated metering systems are not transmitting data.
The President also criticized the location selected for a combined-cycle gas power plant in Surkhandarya Region, noting that supplying natural gas to the facility would require an additional US$300 million, and instructed officials to review the contract terms.
Following the meeting, the Minister of Energy and the head of Regional Electric Networks JSC were dismissed. The heads of National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan JSC, Thermal Power Plants JSC, Uztransgaz JSC and Hududgazta'minot JSC were placed on probation until the end of the year. Mirziyoyev also instructed newly appointed Energy Minister Sherzod Khodjaev, the new head of Regional Electric Networks JSC Sardor Isakulov, and the head of the Energy Inspectorate Ahad Isokjonov to introduce new management approaches across the sector.
Mirziyoyev said the sector's main challenge is not financing but management efficiency. He reported that around 4,000 power system failures occurred during June and July alone, with some households and businesses left without electricity for up to 8–10 hours.
The meeting heard that electricity network losses currently stand at 17.2%, while 4.8 billion kWh of electricity was lost during the first six months of the year. In several cities and districts, losses exceed 25%. Officials also reported that more than 300,000 gas meters and 234,000 electricity meters connected to the automated metering systems are not transmitting data.
The President also criticized the location selected for a combined-cycle gas power plant in Surkhandarya Region, noting that supplying natural gas to the facility would require an additional US$300 million, and instructed officials to review the contract terms.
Following the meeting, the Minister of Energy and the head of Regional Electric Networks JSC were dismissed. The heads of National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan JSC, Thermal Power Plants JSC, Uztransgaz JSC and Hududgazta'minot JSC were placed on probation until the end of the year. Mirziyoyev also instructed newly appointed Energy Minister Sherzod Khodjaev, the new head of Regional Electric Networks JSC Sardor Isakulov, and the head of the Energy Inspectorate Ahad Isokjonov to introduce new management approaches across the sector.
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