Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan and Russia are conducting active negotiations on a significant increase in gas supplies. This was announced by the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Sergei Tsivilev in an interview with Channel One.

On 7 October 2023, Uzbekistan began importing natural gas from Russia through Kazakhstan. The agreement, concluded for two years, provides for the supply of 2.8 billion cubic meters per year.

“I remember how it started the winter before last. A critical situation has developed in Uzbekistan due to abnormal cold weather. Shavkat Miromonovich was very worried and looked for all possible solutions. We are all thinking about the future, because the climate is changing, and we need to take measures in advance,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Active negotiations are underway to expand gas supplies to Uzbekistan,” said Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev.

Answering a question about the need to rebuild the infrastructure, the minister noted that partial infrastructure for gas supplies from Russia to Uzbekistan already exists, but it all depends on the volume of supplies. He added that supply volumes are subject to negotiations and that they will increase significantly.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that work is currently underway to expand the capacity of the Central Asia - Center pipeline system. This will allow increasing the volume of gas pumped to Uzbekistan next year to 11 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev called Russia a strategic partner in the supply of natural gas, oil and petroleum products. “There is an agreement to modernize the gas transportation system, increase the volume of supplies of gas, oil and petroleum products, as well as implement projects with leading Russian hydrocarbon processing companies,” he said.

It was previously reported that Uztransgaz JSC will implement the first stage of the program to modernize the main gas pipeline system to increase the volume of natural gas imports in the northern direction for 2024-2030. The cost of the project is US$500 million. As a result of the modernization of the pipeline, the volume of supplies from Russia to Uzbekistan will increase from 9 to 32 million cubic meters of gas per day.