Coal and gas will continue to play a central role in Central Asia’s power system for years to come, though their functions will shift as the region transitions toward cleaner energy, according to the authors of the newly released report. While coal use is expected to decline through the gradual closure of older plants, natural gas will increasingly serve as a vital transition fuel to maintain grid reliability and support the growth of renewable energy sources. The report notes that “a complete phase-out of coal as a fuel is a more distant prospect” for the region’s major economies, and as a result, “gas-fired generation will remain critical for balancing and covering peaks in the coming decades.”
In plain terms, the region cannot simply abandon fossil fuels immediately without risking frequent blackouts or massive price spikes for consumers. Since most electricity in the area currently comes from coal and gas, the strategy focuses on modernizing existing plants to make them more efficient while slowly retiring the oldest and most polluting ones. Natural gas is viewed as a reliable safety net because it can be turned on quickly when solar or wind power fluctuates, providing the necessary stability to keep a modern energy grid running smoothly.
The report “Power Sector of Central Asia: Modernization and Energy Transition” was published by the Eurasian Development Bank in Almaty in 2026. Authored by a team led by Evgeny Vinokurov, it explores the region’s energy challenges through the lens of the energy trilemma. The study proposes a pragmatic “middle path” to balance energy security, affordability, and sustainability amid a rapidly growing demand and aging infrastructure.
