Kyrgyzstan’s parliament is advancing legislation to redefine small hydropower plants by raising their maximum capacity limit from 30 to 50 megawatts. The measure, approved in its second reading by a parliamentary committee, is intended to attract private capital and modernize infrastructure as the republic transitions away from Soviet-era technical standards.
The policy follows a 2021 decision by Russia to increase its small hydropower threshold to 50 megawatts. Supporters of the bill argue that the existing 30-megawatt cap has hindered the development of larger, more commercially viable projects. By raising the limit, the government aims to facilitate projects that can integrate into the existing power grid while improving overall energy security.
Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibrayev said the change would remove artificial barriers to economic efficiency. The ministry anticipates that the expansion of the small hydropower category will help the country meet rising domestic demand and mitigate the impact of seasonal fluctuations in river water levels.
Regulatory definitions for small-scale generation vary significantly across the region. Uzbekistan and Armenia maintain the 30-megawatt threshold – a legacy of Soviet planning – while Azerbaijan sets the limit at 25 megawatts and Georgia uses a 10–20 megawatt range. In contrast, Ukraine and Belarus have adopted standards similar to the European Union, classifying only those facilities under 10 megawatts as small hydropower.
