QAZAQ GREEN.  Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Wednesday attended the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Kazarman hydropower cascade in the Toguz-Torou district of Jalal-Abad region, the Ministry of Energy press service reports.

The cascade comprises three hydropower plants — Ala-Buga, Kara-Bulun-1 and Kara-Bulun-2 — with a total installed capacity of 912 MW. Average annual electricity generation will exceed 3.75 billion kWh. Total investment is estimated at around $3 billion. The project is being implemented jointly with Turkish investors represented by Orto Asia Investment Holding OJSC. Construction is expected to be completed by 2031.

"Today we are laying the foundation of a project that will define Kyrgyzstan's energy future," Japarov said at the ceremony.

The president acknowledged that despite active construction of new generation facilities, electricity demand continues to outpace supply. According to him, while the country imported around 3 billion kWh during the winter period in 2020, that figure has now risen to 4 billion kWh. The reason is rapid industrial growth, with hundreds of new factories and social facilities commissioned every year.

Once the Kazarman cascade is operational and construction of the Kambarata HPP-1 is complete, Kyrgyzstan expects not only to fully meet its domestic electricity needs but also to begin exporting power to neighbouring countries.