Energy access key to regional competitiveness amid AI growth, Moody's says

The availability of energy resources and a major expansion of power generation will be key factors determining the competitiveness of Central Asian and South Caucasus countries amid growing demand for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence technologies, Moody's Ratings said, Report informs.

According to the international ratings agency, countries across the region are launching ambitious energy development programs covering power generation, transmission and energy storage systems.

The strategies differ depending on each country's resource base, but their common goal is to strengthen energy security and create sufficient capacity reserves to support industrial and technological growth.

"Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are relying on direct access to traditional and renewable resources as a key competitive advantage. Kazakhstan plans to add more than 26 gigawatts (GW) of new generation capacity by 2035 across renewables, nuclear and conventional sources, while Azerbaijan is advancing a large renewable energy pipeline led by solar and wind projects," Moody's said.

Uzbekistan is pursuing one of the region's most aggressive expansion programs, targeting 20-30 GW of additional capacity by 2030 through a combination of solar, wind, thermal generation, battery storage and nuclear power.

These projects are being linked to the development of digital infrastructure and preferential electricity tariffs, according to Moody's.

Other economies are similarly scaling up investments, with Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan prioritizing major hydropower projects such as Kambar-Ata-1 and Rogun

However, the two countries face risks associated with seasonal variations in generation. To address these challenges, they are introducing energy storage systems and backup capacity based on non-renewable energy sources.

Moody's analysts estimate that the implementation of these investment programs will gradually ease existing supply constraints and improve the overall reliability of national power systems across the region.