BATKEN: The Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund (RKDF) has announced plans to invest in the construction of a new mini hydropower plant, “Bazarbay Ata-3,” in the Kadamjay district of Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region. The plant, with a capacity of 600 kW, is expected to improve the electricity supply to local communities that have faced frequent shortages.

According to Trend News Agency, the project is valued at 40.1 million soms ($469,000), with the RKDF contributing over half of the total investment, amounting to 22 million soms ($257,309). Artem Novikov, Chairman of the RKDF, highlighted that this new initiative is part of a broader effort by the fund, which is currently implementing seven major projects in the Batken region. These include the construction of a gas concrete plant and a school in the Halmyon area of the Kadamjay district.

Novikov expressed optimism about the impact of the new hydropower plant, stating, “Today, we are signing another agreement for the construction of a mini-hydropower plant. I hope t
hat once it is completed and the first electricity flows into the Kyrgyz energy grid, local residents will permanently forget about electricity shortages.”

Project documentation reveals that the “Bazarbay Ata-3” mini hydropower plant will generate 5.2 million kWh of electricity annually once operational. This output is expected to address electricity supply issues in nearby villages such as Markaz, with a population of 8,200, and Sary-Altyn, home to 1,500 residents, as well as other parts of the Kadamjay district.