HOW DOES UZBEKISTAN FIT WITHIN ACWA'S GLOBAL PORTFOLIO?

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Uzbekistan is not simply another market in Acwa’s portfolio, it has become one of its strategic centres of gravity. Globally, Acwa manages 110 assets across 15 countries, with an assets under management value of US$ 124.4 billion, 97.9 GW of power capacity, and 9.8 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day.

 

In Uzbekistan, our commitment exceeds US$ 15 billion across 19 projects, making Acwa the largest private investor in the country’s energy sector. What differentiates Uzbekistan is not only scale, but the consistency of direction. The Government’s commitment to energy transition, market liberalisation, and investor protection has created trust, and trust is what allows long-term capital to move with confidence. For Acwa, Uzbekistan is a core platform for regional growth and officially our second-largest market after Saudi Arabia.

 

WHAT IS THE LOGIC BEHIND THE KUNGRAD WIND CLUSTER?

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The logic of the Kungrad wind cluster begins with nature, but does not end there. Karakalpakstan has favourable wind conditions, giving Acwa a strong foundation for large-scale renewable development. The deeper logic is scale, integrated infrastructure, and long-term planning, which together create efficiency, system stability, and more predictable energy costs. Alongside Kungrad, Acwa is advancing Karatau wind projects and hybrid developments that integrate wind generation with battery energy storage.

 

The Aral Wind project is also in advanced development, with planned capacity of up to 5 GW. Structured in phases, it is expected to become one of Central Asia’s largest wind developments, supported by high-voltage transmission lines and new grid facilities. Karakalpakstan is therefore emerging not as a single project location, but as a strategic wind-energy hub. Concentrating future renewable capacity there allows stronger system integration, scalable infrastructure, and deeper industrial development. In the end, renewable energy is not only about megawatts; it is about giving a region the power to participate in its own future.

 

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR UZBEKISTAN BEYOND POWER GENERATION?

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Our vision for Uzbekistan goes well beyond power generation. Energy, at its best, is the hidden architecture of economic transformation. It enables industries to grow, communities to participate, and young people to see a future built at home. That is why our focus is long-term partnership, localisation, capability building, and new value chains, including green hydrogen, where Uzbekistan is already home to Central Asia’s first pilot project developed by Acwa.

 

In 2025, our localisation programme advanced in line with Presidential Resolution No. 139, effective from 1 January 2025. Across major renewable and battery storage assets, including Sazagan Solar, Kungrad 1,500 MW Wind Farm, Nukus 1 and 2, and Riverside BESS, our activities generated an estimated US$ 1.08 billion in domestic economic impact. Uzbek manufacturers and service providers are increasingly participating across cables, conductors, overhead transmission line towers, concrete, road materials, construction, engineering design, and environmental and social services.

 

With partners such as Larsen and Toubro, Goldwind, and Sinoma Blades, Acwa also facilitated two major production facilities: hybrid wind-turbine tower manufacturing in Karakalpakstan and wind-turbine blade manufacturing by Sinoma Blade in Jizzakh. These investments are not only factories; they are bridges for skills, technology transfer, and industrial confidence.

 

Today, most of our workforce in Uzbekistan are local, supported by graduate programmes, technical partnerships, and our work with Shirin College, which helps prepare the next generation of Uzbek technical talent for the energy transition. We also place strong emphasis on women’s participation in technical and leadership roles. This is where energy becomes human: not only light in the grid, but confidence in people.

 

YOUR MESSAGE TO INVESTORS AS UZBEKISTAN MARKS 35 YEARS?

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Uzbekistan today is not a future possibility; it is already a present investment story. The country combines macroeconomic stability, a clear reform agenda, and a defined energy transition pathway, including a 40 percent renewable energy target by 2030. What matters is alignment between ambition and execution: projects are moving, frameworks are maturing, and institutions are becoming more investment-oriented.

 

At Acwa, Impact, Integrity, and Ingenuity must be visible in stronger industries, new skills, women and youth opportunities, and better everyday life. For investors, Uzbekistan offers scale with direction, reform with continuity, and trust as infrastructure.