Uzbekistan has taken a significant step toward sustainable energy and waste management with the start of construction on a new waste-to-energy plant in Namangan. The foundation stone was laid on November 29 at the 10-hectare “Zarafshon” municipal enterprise site in Chust district, according to the Agency for Waste Management and Circular Economy Development.
The project is being implemented by Everbright Environmental Energy Namangan in partnership with Chinese investors. Once operational, the plant is expected to process 547,500 tons of waste annually and generate 310 million kWh of electricity, with 254 million kWh supplied to the national grid—enough to meet the yearly electricity needs of roughly 300,000 residents. The facility will also create 180 permanent jobs.
Namangan region produces an average of 1,450 tons of waste daily, offering substantial potential for recycling. In the first stage, waste collected from six districts will be sent to a reloading station in Turakurgan district, sorted, and transported to the new plant.
The investor plans to launch the project in 2027, with energy sold to Uzenergosotish JSC under a guaranteed 30-year electricity purchase and waste delivery agreement.
This initiative is part of a broader national program mandated by a presidential decree issued on March 24, 2024, which calls for the construction of waste-to-energy plants across nine regions. Earlier in 2025, construction began on plants in Andijan, Samarkand, and Fergana with Chinese partners including CAMCE, Shanghai SUS Environment, and China Everbright International.