The World Bank has designated the Kambarata 1 hydropower project on the Naryn River as a priority within its investment portfolio, following discussions in Washington between the Kyrgyz government and bank officials. Adylbek Kasymaliev, representing the Kyrgyz cabinet, met with Beatrice Maser, an executive director at the World Bank, to discuss the development of the facility. The meeting followed the conclusion of the first round of negotiations for a joint venture that will pool technical and financial resources from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
Maser expressed support for the pace of preparation and indicated she would promote the project to the bank’s board of directors. The partnership marks a shift toward regional infrastructure cooperation in Central Asia, where water and energy resources are shared across borders. The proposed plant is the largest infrastructure project in the region, with an expected installed capacity of 1,860 megawatts.
Estimates suggest the facility will generate more than 5.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year, increasing total power production in Kyrgyzstan by approximately one third. This expansion is designed to address chronic seasonal energy shortages that have historically forced the country to import electricity during peak winter demand.
Located eight kilometers upstream from the existing Kambarata 2 station and 17 kilometers from the Toktogul reservoir, the dam is designed to balance energy production with regional irrigation needs. The reservoir will allow operators to accumulate water during the summer and release it in the winter for power generation (while ensuring a stable water supply for the agricultural sectors of neighboring states). International financial support for the project indicates a focus on regional energy security through cooperation among the three participating nations.
