Demand for electricity in Uzbekistan is on course to outstrip supply by up to 7% by 2030, according to Tashkent think tank Development Strategy Center.

The forecast goes some way to explain why Uzbekistan has agreed to a Russian plan to build the country six “mini nuke” reactors, with a combined capacity of 330 MW. Construction work is due to start as soon as this summer.

Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilyov on May 27, during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Uzbekistan and after the nuclear power deal signing, made reference in an interview with Russian state television to possible potential for Russia in future to sell Uzbekistan electricity.

Uzbekistan is, meanwhile, ramping up imports of Russia gas to boost its gas-fired power production.

Uzbekistan has suffered electricity shortages for years and has an ageing grid that often leads to outages.

Putin said during his visit to Tashkent: “The winter before last in Uzbekistan there was a complicated and critical situation due to the anomalous cold weather. I remember how [Uzbek President] Shavkat Miromonovich [Mirziyoyev] was worried and was looking, of course, for every way possible to solve this problem.”

One solution last October saw the reversal of the flow of the Central Asia-Centre pipeline, enabling Russia to export gas to Uzbekistan, rather than vice versa.

Russia may expect Uzbekistan to partly show its gratitude for energy assistance by boosting trade. Last year, Russia-Uzbekistan trade stood at less than $10bn but Putin and Mirziyoyev talked of raising the annual figure to $30bn by 2030.