Kyrgyzstan’s state-owned generator Chakan HPP has signed a contract with China National Heavy Machinery Corporation to reconstruct the Lebedinovka hydropower plant in the Chuy region. The project is part of a government strategy to mitigate energy shortages by upgrading existing infrastructure. The Chinese contractor has begun developing the technical documentation required for the overhaul.
The renovation is designed to increase the plant’s installed capacity from 7.6 megawatts to 10 megawatts. The Ministry of Energy expects annual electricity generation to increase to 53.5 million kilowatt-hours, up from the current 37.2 million. Officials stated that replacing the facility’s worn-out units will extend its operational life and improve grid stability without requiring the construction of new dams or affecting river ecosystems.
The Lebedinovka plant was commissioned in 1943 to supply power to industrial facilities relocated to the city of Frunze – now Bishkek – during the Second World War. Construction began in early 1942 and was completed largely through manual labor. Historical records indicate that approximately 7,000 workers were involved in the excavation and water-pumping work required to finish the project in just over a year.
After 80 years of operation, the ministry reported that the plant’s original equipment has reached the end of its technical lifespan. The modernization aims to optimize regional water use through contemporary engineering standards. Kyrgyzstan – which relies on hydropower for the vast majority of its electricity – is currently seeking to modernize its Soviet-era energy infrastructure to keep pace with rising domestic consumption.
