Since April 1, 2023, Uzbekistan has been running the 'Solar House' program, under which individuals who install solar photovoltaic stations with a capacity of up to 50 kWh receive a subsidy of 1,000 soums for each kWh of electricity fed into the grid beyond their own consumption.
For instance, if a household consumes 100 kWh from the grid but generates 500 kWh from solar panels, the government pays a subsidy for the surplus. Payments are supposed to be made via the 'Solik' app by the 25th of the month following the reporting period.
Citizens have embraced the initiative, with many investing savings or taking loans to install panels. However, those who contacted Kun.uz complain that they have not received guaranteed payments for April.
Islamjon Sobirjonov, a resident of Kitab district in Kashkadarya region, installed 10 kW panels for 32 million soums in November 2025. Payments began in February: 20,000 soums, followed by just over 200,000 in March. No money has been received for April, despite the panels operating. In April, he fed over 900 kWh into the grid, and in May over 1,100 kWh.
In the first quarter of 2026, 45,200 individuals sold electricity from solar panels to the grid and received over 73.9 billion soums in subsidies. For comparison, in the first quarter of 2025, 12,700 people received 8.1 billion soums. Over the year, the number of recipients grew 3.5 times, and the total payout increased 9-fold.
The 2026 budget allocates 100 billion soums for this purpose. Based on first-quarter results, this amount may be insufficient—real expenditures could triple the allocated funds.
Kun.uz contacted the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The Ministry of Energy stated that subsidies are financed from the state budget, with allocation and payment falling under the purview of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The Ministry of Economy said work is ongoing and official information will be provided soon.
Delays in subsidy payments are not just a financial issue but also undermine trust in the system. If a citizen fails to pay for electricity in advance, they are immediately disconnected from the grid. The same rule should apply to payments. The 'Solar House' project is crucial and promising for Uzbekistan's energy system, but irresponsibility in its implementation discredits even the best intentions.
Source: kun.uz