ТASHKENT, February 10. /Dunyo IA/. This summer, development of the “Nishbash” coal deposit, with reserves of 233 million tons, will begin in the Tashkent region, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing the Kazakh portal “dprom.kz”.

It is noted that the project’s investment is estimated at USD 494 million. The first million tons of coal at “Nishbash” is expected to be mined in 2026. Once the deposit reaches its design capacity, the annual coal output will reach ten million tons, employing 880 people.

The coal production plan for the autumn and winter of 2025-2026 includes a 15-percent increase compared to the previous season, reaching ten million tons. Nine million tons of coal have already been extracted. In the next season, production is planned to grow to 11 million tons.

Specific measures have also been outlined. These include the accelerated development of coal reserves in the eastern and southern regions of the republic, the expansion of selective mining and the involvement of additional open-pit equipment under outsourcing arrangements.

Private businesses are being involved in coal mining. While 16 non-state companies were operating in the sector at the end of 2025, their number could exceed 20 this year. It is expected that private subsoil users will provide an additional 2.5 million tons of coal.

The additional volumes of energy resources will be directed toward deep processing. JSC “Uzkimyosanoat” plans to invest USD 5 billion in the establishment of a coal-chemical production facility, where 8–9 million tons of coal will be processed annually, producing 1.18 million tons of polymer products each year.