Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have begun the construction of the Yavan hydropower plant (HPP) on the Zarafshan River. The 140MW hydropower station will play a major role in ensuring the energy security and sustainability of the water and agriculture sectors in both countries, Neftegaz.ru reports.

Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon paid an official visit to Uzbekistan on June 2-3, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented his country's industrial capabilities.
The parties concluded several major agreements at summit meetings held in Tashkent on 2 June, and they made a historic decision to elevate bilateral relations to the level of an alliance.
Eleven documents envisaging the enhancement of Uzbek-Tajik cooperation: including a road map for further deepening and expanding cooperation in industrial cooperation, a road map for developing cooperation between Jizzakh region of Uzbekistan and Sughd region of Tajikistan, a memorandum on cooperation in environmental protection and rational use of natural resources have been signed at the level of governments, ministries and agencies of the two countries. Negotiations continued in Khorezm on 3 June.

On 2 June 2022, a ceremony was held to launch the construction of the Yavan hydropower plant, during which the presidents of the two countries pressed the symbolic start button.
The Yavan hydropower plant is the first major project of Uzbek-Tajik energy cooperation.
The hydropower plant with capacity of 140 MW will play an important role in ensuring energy security, sustainability of water and agriculture sectors of both countries.
The project will strengthen the scientific and industrial potential of the sector and provide green energy to thousands of households and new businesses.

The engineering work will be carried out entirely on the basis of modern standards, with the involvement of leading global companies.
Leading international institutions, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), have expressed interest in co-financing the project.
In January 2020, it was reported that the construction of the Javan hydropower plant would cost $282 million.

The construction of the Yavan hydropower plant is the result of agreements reached in 2018 during an official visit to Tajikistan by Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

At that time, the parties agreed on Uzbekistan's participation in the construction and operation of two hydropower plants in Tajikistan on the Zarafshan river with a total capacity of 320 MW.

At the next stage, the parties intend to consider building a 135MW hydropower plant on the Fandarya River, a tributary of the Zeravshan River.
The cost of the project is estimated at US $270m.

Both HPPs will help to support peak capacity of the unified energy system and transfer electricity to other regions of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on a parity basis.