Kyrgyzstan plans to build a floating solar power plant with a capacity of 15 megawatts. It will be installed on the water surface near hydropower plant No. 5 (HPP-5), the Ministry of Energy reported.

The project is being implemented by Chakan HPP OJSC in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

A consultant is currently being selected to prepare the project. A total of 22 companies from various countries submitted applications for the international tender published on the ADB website. Following the preliminary selection, six bidders were invited to submit their proposals.

The Energy Ministry noted that HPP-5 already has experience operating similar facilities.

A pilot floating solar power plant with a capacity of 0.1 MW was commissioned at the site on March 1, 2024. It generated 133,900 kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2024, 141,100 kWh in 2025 and 132,500 kWh in the first 10 months of 2026.

The new power plant will be 150 times more powerful than the existing pilot facility.

Installing solar panels directly on the water surface helps save land resources, reduce water evaporation and make use of existing hydropower infrastructure.

The project is expected to increase electricity generation from renewable sources and expand the use of solar power in Kyrgyzstan.

The construction cost, start date and expected commissioning date of the new power plant have not yet been specified.