Uzbekistan to increase gas imports from north to 32 mcm/day after modernizing pipelines

TASHKENT. Feb 22 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan expects to ramp up gas imports "from the northern direction" to 32 million cubic meters per day as a result of a program to modernize its trunk gas transport infrastructure in 2024-2030.

Uzbekistan plans to invest $500 million in modernizing its gas transport system over this period with the aim of increasing gas imports "from the northern direction" to 32 mcm per day, according to a resolution the government passed on the implementation of the Central Asian country's investment program for the first quarter of 2024.

Uztransgaz has been designated the party responsible for carrying out this point of the investment program.

It was reported earlier that financing for the project will be raised from foreign banks.

In the winter of 2022/2023 Uzbekistan faced a major energy crisis due to extremely cold weather. The authorities said that during the period of peak winter demand there were gas shortages across the country of up to 20 mcm per day. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev criticized officials for negligence in their preparations for the autumn-winter period.

The country therefore decided to increase imports of gas, electricity, coal and fuel oil. On October 7, 2023, Uzbekistan began importing gas from Russia through Kazakhstan to cover part of its energy shortage. A gas purchase contract was signed for two years for supplies of 9 mcm per day, or about 2.8 bcm per year.

Uzbekistan also imports gas from Turkmenistan.