Tajikistan is shifting its hydropower development strategy to emphasize small and medium-sized plants as a solution to electricity shortages in remote areas. While work continues on the major Rogun dam project, the government is prioritizing distributed generation to secure energy supplies for isolated communities.
Energy Minister Daler Juma said the strategy draws on successful operations in the mountainous Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, where a localized network of small plants supplies power independently of the national grid. The government plans to scale this model nationwide, with eight small hydropower plants scheduled to go online by the end of 2026.
To finance these installations, the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources is negotiating with domestic and foreign investors under public-private partnership models. The initiatives aim to attract direct investment through upcoming memorandums of understanding.
To support the transition, Tajikistan has updated its renewable energy legislation to offer regulatory clarity and business incentives. The new rules include tax and customs concessions for companies importing specialized equipment to construct the new plants.
