Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have held technical negotiations on the development of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant, a major regional energy project expected to strengthen Central Asia’s electricity generation capacity and cooperation in water management.

The talks took place in Istanbul, Türkiye, with support from the World Bank, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy said.

The meeting brought together representatives of all three countries to discuss the project’s implementation, technical requirements and next steps.

Kazakhstan was represented by Deputy Minister of Energy Yerzhan Yertayev and Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Arsen Zhakanbayev.

The Kambarata-1 hydropower plant is planned to have a capacity of 1,860 megawatts and will be built on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan.

The project is being jointly implemented by the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, making it a significant example of regional cooperation in Central Asia’s water and energy sectors.

During the Istanbul negotiations, the delegations reviewed key technical aspects of the project, identified priority areas for further cooperation and discussed opportunities to improve coordination in water and energy management.

The construction of Kambarata-1 is expected to strengthen the region’s energy potential and support greater cooperation in electricity generation and the sustainable use of water resources.

The project is particularly important for Central Asia, where water management and energy security are closely interconnected.

Cooperation among the three countries is intended to help coordinate the development of shared water resources while expanding regional electricity generation capacity.