Central Asia's first wind farm with energy storage system nears launch in Uzbekistan

In November 2026, the Nukus 2 wind farm project in Karakalpakstan is in its final stage, being constructed by Saudi energy company ACWA. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), this is the first facility in Central Asia combining wind power generation with a large-scale energy storage system.

The wind farm has a capacity of 200 megawatts, and its batteries can store 100 megawatt-hours of electricity. The facility has already begun generating electricity, though the battery system is still undergoing pre-launch testing. As of an update on 26 October, the project's completion rate was assessed at 94.2%.

Project Director Sardorbek Makhmudov stated that once fully operational, the facility will be able to supply electricity to over 300,000 people. According to him, the batteries are designed for short-term grid support during drops in wind generation or spikes in consumption. Depending on the load, they will be able to discharge energy for approximately three to four hours.

The €232 million project is being connected to the national power grid. To achieve this, a new power transmission line is being built, and existing infrastructure is being modernised. The electricity will be sold to the national operator under a long-term contract awarded through a competitive tender.

Funding is provided by international organisations and banks, including the ADB, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, FMO, Standard Chartered, and Saudi EXIM. During construction, between 750 and 800 people worked at the site, including over 400 local employees and specialists. The developer expects the entire complex to transition to full operation following the completion of tests.