This week, key topics in energy, transport, and technology were discussed. In this weekly roundup, Spot gathered the most important articles and news from this week that you might have missed.
Energy
The Minister of Energy, Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, appeared on the Lolazor podcast, where he discussed current events in the energy sector and shared new initiatives. Mirzamakhmudov talked about the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Uzbekistan. According to the head of the Ministry of Energy, the project is "technologically the safest."
He emphasized that the construction of the nuclear power plant will begin with small-capacity reactors, but Uzbekistan "still needs a large reactor." Mirzamakhmudov suggested that a large NPP could be built in Uzbekistan by 2040.
The minister attributed the decline in electricity production this year to consumer savings. According to the official, the increase in tariffs has reduced the volume of energy consumption, despite the growth in the number of subscribers.
Mirzamakhmudov also opposed forcing entrepreneurs to install solar panels. The Ministry of Energy is not responsible for power outages, the official emphasized.
In such cases, the minister suggested contacting his office.
Later, the Ministry of Energy opened an additional line for complaints about pressure to install solar panels. From noon on October 7 to 8:30 PM on October 8, the Ministry received 1,232 calls.
Additionally, this week, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov announced plans to transition to a wholesale electricity and gas market.
"By 2028, we want to complete the transition to a wholesale natural gas market in Uzbekistan. Before that, of course, in 2027, we will establish the electricity market," shared the head of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Uzbekistan also plans to modernize its gas transportation system (GTS) and is considering cooperation in this area with Kazakhstan and Gazprom.
Transport
The Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, Jasurbek Choriyev, presented the parameters of the Tashkent-Andijan toll road project. The road is planned to be completed by 2032, with a project cost of $4.28 billion based on last year's nominal value.
The construction will include 64% new road sections and 36% reconstructed ones. The total length of the first-category road will be 314 km with six lanes of traffic.
Spot recently covered how Uzbekistan is progressing towards the construction of toll roads.
Companies near metro stations may change their working hours. The implementation of different start times is expected to reduce congestion, according to Tashkent Metro officials.
Also, the feasibility study for the new Bukhara airport is nearing completion. The airport will cover 307 hectares and will be located 26 km from the city center, with plans to build trade and service facilities along the access road.
City and Business
This week, Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the general plan for Tashkent until 2045 and instructed the development of five districts of the Tashkent region based on a unified agglomeration with the capital. Each district will have its own general plan.
Additionally, rental prices for housing in Tashkent have risen again: apartments with average repairs increased by 2.8%, while those with new repairs rose by 1.4%.
The first phase of constructing the "gastronomic" street on Taras Shevchenko has been completed in the capital.
"The second phase of the project will start soon. It is planned to expand green areas, create landscape designs, build [summer] terraces, and install modern benches," shared the press service of the district hokimiyat.
When issuing online loans, a "cooling-off period" will be introduced. Biometric identification will become mandatory for applying for a loan. This temporary measure will be in effect for five months—from November 1, 2024, to April 1, 2025.
Moreover, NGMK issued its first eurobonds worth $1 billion for capital expenditures and refinancing.
Technology
Apple plans to abandon its annual product launch policy. The company realizes that launching multiple gadgets simultaneously leads to technical issues.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk introduced three new products at once—a robotaxi, an autonomous van, and a humanoid robot. The price of the robotaxi will be less than $30,000, with production starting before 2027. All new products feature built-in AI.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1844613394353230112
This week, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for discoveries in machine learning. John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton developed new methods for training neural networks.
Articles of the Week
The PR manager of major bloggers in Uzbekistan, founder of the agency FACES, Sabina Bakiyeva, told Spot how she entered the field of PR. In the interview, she shared how advertising costs are formed, what taxes bloggers pay, and what trends are expected in the sector in the coming years.
Additionally, Spot examined which bank in Uzbekistan offers the most favorable dollar deposits. At the time of publication, the highest rates on foreign currency deposits are offered by "Anorbank"—9% for 24 months. "Universalbank" offers 8% for 18 months, while "Davrbank" and "Asakabank" offer 7.5% each.
The lowest rates on auto loans are offered by Saderat Bank—starting from 22.5% with a 50% down payment. Down payment amounts range from 10% to 50%. "Ipak Yuli Bank" offers options for loans without a down payment.
Spot also gathered information about training centers that teach modern IT professions in Uzbek and Russian languages.
Number of the Week
In September, the value of the republic's international assets increased by $1.98 billion or about 5%. It is currently at its highest level since the regulator began tracking such statistics in 2013.
