Orkhan Zeynalov: Azerbaijan, Central Asian countries may become key energy suppliers for Europe

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan have the potential to transform into major centers for supplying affordable energy to the European market, Azerbaijan's Deputy Energy Minister Orkhan Zeynalov said at the Second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum (AIIF 2026), Report informs.

"Azerbaijan and the states of Central Asia, via the Middle Corridor, have the potential to form one of the most crucial macro-regional hubs for providing affordable and diversified energy, including meeting the growing demand from Europe and the artificial intelligence industry," Zeynalov noted.

According to the deputy minister, in the context of modernizing energy infrastructure, there are plans to launch new generating capacities totaling up to 8 GW. Special attention is being paid not only to the physical volumes of transmitted electricity but also to ensuring energy supply flexibility and establishing mechanisms for mutual flows between regional energy markets.

"A key priority is to ensure precisely this flexibility and optionality: we are talking not merely about exporting electricity from east to west, but also about inter-market exchanges that will allow electricity to be directed at the required times, taking into account the specifics of regional regulatory frameworks," the deputy minister emphasized.