On 18 September, as part of his visit to the Karakalpakstan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in a commissioning ceremony for new energy facilities and launched the construction of the 1.5 GW Kungrad Wind Farm, implemented by Saudi company Acwa in Uzbekistan. The project also entails building the necessary grid infrastructure to integrate power generation into the national unified energy system.
Reflecting on the large-scale transformation of Uzbekistan’s energy sector, the President noted: “The fact that the share of green energy has reached 40% in such a short period of time is the result of the hard work of our industrious, generous, and open-hearted people.”
A key project driving this progress is the Kungrad Wind Farm (WPP), which forms part of Acwa’s broader portfolio in Karakalpakstan. Currently under construction, the facility will feature a generation capacity of 1.5 GW, making it the largest wind power project in the CIS. The initiative includes a 300 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). To connect the plant to the grid, the project foresees the construction of approximately 1,500 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines, three 500 kV switching stations, and the modernization of two existing substations.
In Karakalpakstan, the Nukus-1 and Nukus-2 projects are already operational across the Beruniy and Karauzyak districts, with a combined capacity of 300 MW in wind power and 100 MW in BESS. Altogether, Acwa’s planned, operational, and under-construction projects in Karakalpakstan represent approximately 2.3 GW of capacity, around $4 billion in investments, 650 MWh of energy storage capacity, and 1,441 kilometers of power transmission lines. Collectively, these facilities are expected to generate about 8.77 billion kWh of clean electricity annually — enough to meet the energy needs of approximately 2.4 million households — while saving around 2.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas and avoiding nearly 5 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.
“Karakalpakstan is becoming one of the most vital investment destinations for Acwa in Uzbekistan. Once all projects currently under development are commissioned, the company’s portfolio in Karakalpakstan will more than double. The scale of Acwa’s projects in the region goes far beyond generation metrics. At peak construction, the Kungrad Wind Farm will create around 4,000 jobs, with local content reaching approximately $750 million. This will unlock additional opportunities for local specialists, businesses, and suppliers involved in the project. The company is also investing in workforce development for the power sector. Currently, 78 students from Karakalpakstan are studying at Shirin College, preparing to work at major energy assets and advance their professional careers in Uzbekistan’s energy sector,” said Abid Malik, President of Acwa Central Asia.
The scale of ongoing and planned projects demonstrates that Karakalpakstan is becoming an increasingly significant hub for energy investments. By 2030, total wind power capacity in the region is planned to reach 3.3 GW, bringing the share of green energy to 76%.
The development of Acwa’s projects in the region reflects Uzbekistan’s holistic approach to the energy transition, which combines new generation capacity with battery energy storage systems, transmission infrastructure, local supply chain integration, and human capital development. The integration of these pillars and the consistent advancement of the sector create the framework for long-term investments and the continued growth of Karakalpakstan’s energy potential.
