A major solar power project is set to launch in the Forish district of Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region, following a presidential decree issued earlier this month. The project entails the construction of a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant along with supporting power transmission infrastructure.
According to the decree, the initiative aims to ensure a stable energy supply for both the population and key sectors of the economy, reduce dependence on natural gas in electricity generation, and increase the share of renewables in Uzbekistan’s energy mix.
To carry out the project, China Electrical Equipment International Co. Ltd. and China Huadian Overseas Co. Ltd. have formed a joint venture, Huadian Jizzakh Solar Power LLC. The companies will design, finance, construct, and operate the facility.
Total direct investment is projected at 2.08 billion yuan (approximately $290 million). Under a 25-year guaranteed purchase agreement, Uzbekistan’s state electricity buyer, Uzenergosotish JSC, will buy the generated electricity.
For the construction site, the government has allocated 991.1 hectares of pastureland in Forish, which will be reclassified from agricultural to industrial use.
This announcement follows a wave of green energy initiatives signed during the inaugural Samarkand International Climate Forum in April 2025. Among them was an agreement with China’s Liquip International to build another solar facility in the same region.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Chinese investment in Jizzakh continues to grow. In June 2024, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inaugurated a Technopark in the Zaamin district, where Chinese firms are financing 30 projects valued at $1.2 billion. The development is expected to generate over 5,000 jobs.