QAZAQ GREEN.  Uzbekistan has begun construction of the 1.5 GW Kungrad Wind Power Plant in Karakalpakstan. Once commissioned, the project will become the largest wind power facility in the CIS. The project is being developed by Saudi energy company ACWA, Press Office of Acwa in Uzbekistan said.

The construction launch ceremony was attended by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev as part of the opening of new energy infrastructure facilities in the region.

The project also includes a 300 MW battery energy storage system (BESS). To connect the wind farm to the national grid, around 1,500 km of high-voltage transmission lines and three 500 kV switching stations will be built, while two existing substations will be upgraded.

President Mirziyoyev noted that Uzbekistan's share of green energy has reached 40%. He said the country had achieved the level within a relatively short period.

Karakalpakstan is already home to ACWA's Nukus-1 and Nukus-2 wind power plants in the Beruniy and Karauzyak districts. The two facilities have a combined capacity of 300 MW and are equipped with 100 MW of energy storage.

Including operating, under-construction and pipeline projects, ACWA's portfolio in Karakalpakstan totals around 2.3 GW, with investments of approximately $4 billion. Once all projects are commissioned, they are expected to generate about 8.77 billion kWh of electricity annually.

The projects are expected to provide electricity for around 2.4 million households, save 2.1 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually and avoid nearly 5 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions each year.

"Karakalpakstan is becoming one of the most important investment destinations for ACWA in Uzbekistan. Once all projects currently under development are commissioned, the company's portfolio in the region will more than double," said Abid Malik, President of ACWA Central Asia.

According to Malik, the Kungrad wind farm will create around 4,000 jobs at the peak of construction, while local content is expected to reach approximately $750 million. The company is also investing in workforce development, with 78 students from Karakalpakstan currently studying at Shirin College to prepare for careers in Uzbekistan's energy sector.

By 2030, Karakalpakstan plans to increase its total installed wind power capacity to 3.3 GW. The share of green energy in the region's power mix is expected to reach 76%.

ACWA has operated in Uzbekistan since 2019. The company is developing 19 projects in the country with a combined capacity of 13.9 GW and a total investment value of $16.5 billion, covering wind and solar power, energy storage, conventional generation and green hydrogen.

Uzbekistan is ACWA's second-largest market globally by investment volume after Saudi Arabia.