On January 8 Uzbek authorities imposed momentary restrictions on methane filling stations for the second time in a month. Decreased strain within the nation’s fuel pipelines necessitated the restrictions, which is able to primarily have an effect on personal automobiles.
Most vehicles in Uzbekistan use CNG – compressed pure fuel, primarily composed to methane.
Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Vitality, in a January 7 assertion, stated that beginning January 8 methane filling stations would prohibit their working hours to 10 am to 4 pm, quite than the standard 24-hour availability.
Within the assertion, shared extensively through Telegram, the ministry stated the measure was vital on account of a lower in strain in the primary fuel pipelines and would solely be momentary. The ministry burdened that the restriction on methane filling stations was wanted with the intention to guarantee uninterrupted provides for public transportation and amenities.
Pure fuel is Uzbekistan’s largest vitality supply. In keeping with 2023 information, pure fuel was the largest complete supply of vitality in Uzbekistan, accounting for 79 p.c of complete vitality provide; together with 76 p.c of all electrical energy era.
It’s additionally a useful resource Uzbekistan produces and exports. In 2025, Uzbekistan exported pure fuel value greater than $624 million within the January-November interval, primarily to China. In that very same interval, nonetheless, Uzbekistan imported greater than $1.5 billion value of pure fuel, with what Uzbek media characterised as a “sharp improve” in November 2025.
Whereas Uzbekistan was as soon as a web exporter of pure fuel, since 2020 the steadiness has shifted. In keeping with Worldwide Vitality Company information, in 2020 Uzbekistan grew to become a web importer of pure fuel by 19,333 terajoules (TJ) or 0.019333 exajoules. By 2023 that determine had ballooned to 241,191 TJ (0.241191 exajoules).
In December 2022, Uzbekistan signed a contract with Turkmenistan to import pure fuel and canopy a winter shortfall. The next August, the 2 sides signed one other short-term contract, growing the amount, and aimed to come back to a longer-term settlement. In a December 2024 telephone name, the Uzbek and Turkmen presidents agreed to an additional improve. Since 2023, Uzbekistan has additionally imported fuel from Russia, through Kazakhstan.
These offers underscore a vital downside: home demand in Uzbekistan has outstripped home manufacturing. In keeping with Vitality Institute’s Statistic Evaluate of World Vitality, in 2024 Uzbekistan produced 1.52 exajoules of pure fuel; consumption rose to 2.0 exajoules that yr.
The scenario is additional sophisticated by contractual obligations to export fuel, largely to China. Authorities say exports are seasonal – which means that in winter when vitality demand spikes at residence, Uzbekistan just isn’t at the moment exporting pure fuel.
On December 11, 2025 the Uzbek Ministry of Vitality imposed restrictions on methane filling stations, pointing to a malfunction within the fuel transmission system of a “neighboring state.” Vitality Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov stated on the time {that a} technical failure in that unnamed neighboring state had resulted in a fuel shortfall of 6 million cubic meters.
Uzbek media instructed that the nation in query was Turkmenistan, given previous disruptions.
The restrictions had been lifted on December 30. However just a little greater than per week later, the restrictions had been reintroduced.
Uzbek authorities have been communicative and proactive, heading off a possible disaster by proscribing methane filling stations earlier than a major downside arises – such because the stoppage of a thermal energy plant’s work in the midst of winter. However the repeated imposition of momentary restrictions serves as an instance the bigger strategic downside: Uzbekistan consumes extra vitality than it at the moment produces and imports are usually not dependable sufficient to cowl the shortfall.
Uzbek authorities have appeared to the development of nuclear energy vegetation to assist clear up this vitality riddle. However these tasks will take years.
In September 2025, Uzbekistan and Russia expanded current plans to assemble small modular nuclear reactors, selecting two high-capacity items primarily based on the VVER-1000 and two smaller items with RITM-200N reactors. The bigger reactors can have the capability to generate round 1,000 MW every; the smaller reactors can have a era capability of 55 MW every.
On the time, the director of the Uzbek Company for Nuclear Vitality (Uzatom) Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, stated that the primary unit on the massive nuclear energy plant would go into operation in 2033, with the second up and operating by 2035.
Uzbekistan plans to fee the primary of the 2 smaller nuclear energy vegetation in 2029.
