On October 27, 2026, the World Bank's Executive Board officially approved a $100 million loan for the modernization of Uzbekistan's national power distribution system, and the large-scale equipment procurement window for upgrading the Central Asian power grid was officially opened.

All $371 million renovation funds have been secured

The total budget of the project reaches 371 million US dollars. In addition to the 100 million US dollars loan from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank has approved a matching loan of 200 million US dollars on September 30, 2026, and the remaining 71 million US dollars will be directly funded by the Uzbekistan national budget. The project is directly implemented by State Grid Corporation of Uzbekistan, with the core task of upgrading and digitizing 60 key substations across the country, simultaneously supporting the renovation of old power lines and the construction of a digital power grid management system.

The project sets clear quantitative goals. By 2031, the renovated substation can reduce electricity losses by 20000 megawatt hours per year, support at least 3.3 GW of renewable energy access to the grid, reduce emissions by nearly 23000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, and is expected to create approximately 11700 job opportunities within five years after the facility is put into operation. After all the funds are invested, the bidding procedures for design, equipment procurement, and construction installation will be launched gradually by the end of 2026, and the project will enter the substantive execution stage from the planning stage.

The entry channel for Chinese equipment manufacturers has been opened up

Currently, natural gas accounts for about 80% of energy supply in Uzbekistan, but production has been declining for three consecutive years. Over 66% of the country's transmission and distribution networks and 74% of substations have been in service for more than 30 years, and the highest comprehensive system loss can reach 29%. This round of renovation is not a general expansion of the power grid, but a systematic replacement of old equipment. There are clear procurement gaps in categories such as main transformers, circuit breakers, isolating switches, relay protection, transformers, cables, dispatch automation systems, and smart meters.

At present, Chinese equipment manufacturers have taken the lead in landing. The Zhafalabad 220kV digital substation in Jizak Oblast, constructed by Shanghai Electric, has been delivered in December 2024. The GIS renovation project of two 220kV substations in Tashkent, signed by Shandong Electric in July 2026, is currently underway. Keywords: power grid renovation, Central Asian news

The technical standards and performance capabilities of domestic manufacturers have been recognized by the owners. In the future, enterprises can prepare in advance by filing qualifications in advance, laying out local agency channels, etc., to avoid the passive situation of temporary bidding and obtain stable orders in this wave of Central Asian power grid upgrading.Editor/Cheng Liting