Uzbekistan will advocate for unifying the power systems of Central Asian countries and China, the Deputy Energy Minister Umid Mamadaminov told the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.
At the second Central Asia-China Summit in Astana on June 17, the president Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed studying the issue of coupling energy systems, including the high-voltage power transmission line mega-project.
“One of the most pressing topics at this summit was infrastructure and power. The leader of our country specifically raised the issue of creating a power corridor connecting China with the Central Asian states. This is a very important issue for both us and China,” Umid Mamadaminov said.
According to him, Uzbekistan has already commenced drafting estimates for the cross-border high-voltage power transmission line projects via Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan bound for China. Earlier, the country a similar “green energy corridor” project towards Europe through Azerbaijan.
The President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to the Deputy Minister, emphasized the importance of connecting the power systems of Central Asia and China and creating a single infrastructure.
"This is a huge project. The power generated in Central Asian countries can partially meet the growing demand in China," Mamadaminov said.
He also pointed to the potential for bilateral energy exchange depending on seasonal fluctuations: "In winter, when there is a shortage of gas, we could import energy from China when it has a surplus."
A special powre forum, Power Central Asia+China, was also organized as part of the Summit, where modern technologies were discussed, including smart grids and high-voltage direct current lines.
"We are talking about the high-voltage direct current line projects and the introduction of smart grids into the power system. We also considered China's experience in modernizing networks," the Deputy Minister noted.
Following the discussions, the parties reached an agreement on joint work to integrate renewable energy sources, increase the sustainability of energy systems and create a reliable management system.
In 2024, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum and MoM on the green energy corridor project. Azerbaijan intends to lay a cable along the bottom of the Black Sea to connect Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe, the Caspian and Black Seas with a single energy corridor. The operators of the main power grids of the countries created a joint venture to implement the project.
Uzbekistan plans to export surplus green electricity generated in the country to Europe starting from 2030.
