Modern · Shirin
Farkhad Hydropower Station
Built by mass volunteer labour during the war
Modern · Shirin
Syrdarya Thermal Power Station
A 3,215 MW thermal power station in Shirin, built in 1966–1981; the town of Shirin itself grew up to house its builders and staff.
The plant
The Syrdarya Thermal Power Station is the largest power plant in Central Asia, with an installed capacity of 3,215 MW. Construction ran from 1966 to 1981, and the first unit came on line in December 1972. It originally had ten 300 MW units, and upgrades between 2002 and 2021 raised its output. It burns natural gas, with fuel oil as a reserve, and produces some 13 billion kWh a year — about 22 per cent of Uzbekistan’s electricity.
The town of Shirin was built for the plant’s builders and workers and became a town in 1972. The station’s tall chimneys are a landmark visible from far across the valley.