Kyrgyzstan actively continues construction of small hydroelectric power plants

Bishkek, Oct. 18, 2021 / Kabar /. The construction of small hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) is actively continuing in Kyrgyzstan.

The country’s Ministry of Energy said that an appropriate legal framework has been created for the construction of small hydroelectric power plants. Also, regulatory documents have been adopted that allow investors wishing to carry out activities for the production and generation of electricity using renewable energy sources to receive certain preferences.

Thus, the subjects of renewable energy sources are exempt from tax (VAT) when importing equipment, income tax (up to five years), a guaranteed redemption of generated electricity is determined, taking into account an increasing coefficient for a grace period of 10 years. The above positive changes made it possible to attract investors to the development of energy using renewable energy sources, the report said.

The ministry also added that at present, through the efforts of local residents and with the involvement of foreign investors, an active construction of small hydroelectric power plants has begun in the country as a whole.

The construction of small hydroelectric power plants is carried out in Batken, Jalal-Abad, Issyk-Kul and Osh regions, it is also planned in Chui and Talas regions, the total capacity of which will be more than 100 MW. However, at the same time, the development of hydro resources of small rivers in the republic is only 1.27% of the total volume, while the potential is about more than 1 billion kW, the Ministry of Energy explained.

19 small hydropower plants with a total capacity of 54 MW are already operating in the republic, although there is potential for the construction of more than 100 small hydropower plants.

The development of small hydropower, solar and wind energy, along with the construction of large hydropower facilities, such as the Kambarata HPP-1, the Upper Naryn HPP cascade, the Suusamyr-Kokomery HPP cascade, the Kazarman HPP cascade, will not only lead to complete energy independence, but also increase export potential of the republic, the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan said.