China to Build Solar Power Plant in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is launching a pilot project to construct a solar power plant through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The project has received support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which has completed technical, legal, financial, and environmental assessments.
Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Energy, Talaiybek Ibrayev, held talks with John Gandolfi, Vice President and CFO of the IFC, in Washington D.C., discussing the implementation progress of the project.
A key feature of the project is selecting investors through an open tender process, with the winning bidder securing the lowest electricity tariff offer. Kyrgyzstan has agreed to a tariff proposal of 4.1 cents per kilowatt-hour submitted by a Chinese power company.
The power plant will be built in the Naryn Region. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with power generation expected to start in 2027.
Ibrayev noted that the project will introduce new standards into Kyrgyzstan’s energy sector and serve as a model for attracting investment through transparent and competitive mechanisms.
Gandolfi stated that the World Bank supports Kyrgyzstan’s energy sector reforms.
The meeting also discussed the second phase of the project, which aims to build additional solar power plants in the Talas and Batken regions.
To address long-standing electricity shortages, Kyrgyzstan is accelerating the development of renewable energy. In December 2025, the country inaugurated its first solar power plant in the Chuy Region, about 100 kilometers east of Bishkek. This 100-megawatt facility, funded by China with a $56 million investment, is expected to generate approximately 210 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually.
Source: Central Asia Times
Author: Sergey Kwan
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862999462693888/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.