BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 13. The construction
costs of the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant (HPP) in Kyrgyzstan,
totaling $5-6 billion, will be fully recovered within 13-15 years
from the completion and commissioning of the HPP, the country’s
President Sadyr Zhaparov said during an interview with local media,
Trend reports.

According to Zhaparov, the HPP building period will last 8-10
years. The maximum time it will take to fully repay the cost of
Kambarata-1, including construction, is 25 years.

He stated that the World Bank (WB) is giving a $500 million loan
with a 50-year term and a 10-year grace period at no interest for
the project. Kyrgyzstan has never had such advantageous credit
terms.

“When it is time to settle the debt for this project, neither
the national budget nor the people will be accountable for
payment,” the president said.

The Kambarata-1 Hydropower Project is one of Central Asia’s
largest, according to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy. It will be
on the Naryn River. The HPP has a capacity of 1,860 MW and a
reservoir volume of 5.4 billion cubic meters, with a projected
annual power generation of 5.6 billion kWh.

The World Bank has previously provided $5 million for technical
assistance in revising the Kambarata-1 HPP feasibility study in
November 2023.