As part of Uzbekistan’s continuous attempts to increase renewable energy and lessen dependency on natural gas, a group of Chinese businesses will build a 500 megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant in the Jizzakh region’s Forish district.

The proposal, which includes building the solar facility and a related overhead power transmission network, has been approved by a presidential decree. The program aims to promote the nation’s long-term “green economy” plan while improving the energy supply for the public and private sectors.

Huadian Jizzakh Solar Power, a project business founded by China Electrical Equipment International and China Huadian Overseas, will carry out the plant. An estimated 2.08 billion Chinese yuan would be invested directly in the project.

The facility will be designed, financed, built, and run by the Chinese investors, as per the deal. To ensure long-term earnings for the investors, Uzenergosotish will buy the power produced on a guaranteed basis over a 25-year period.

In order to ensure the development of the required infrastructure, 991.1 hectares of pasture land in the Forish district will be converted from agricultural to industrial usage for the project’s realization.

During the first Samarkand International Climate Forum in April 2025, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade signed a number of agreements to speed up the development of green energy, including this project. The agreement to construct a second 500 MW solar facility in the same area with Liquip International of China was one of these.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had earlier in February 2024 advocated for a faster development of renewable energy projects. He called for the opening of two pumped storage facilities and 14 solar and wind power plants within two to three months, expressing dissatisfaction with the existing state of development.

Energy production in Uzbekistan has increased significantly; in the last five years, the country’s electricity output has increased by 30% to 81.5 billion kilowatt-hours. By 2025, the government also intends to construct 1,185 microhydropower facilities with a total capacity of 65 MW.