The government of Kyrgyzstan has held talks with Chinese contractors over the construction of a 1GW solar farm in the Central Asian country, news agency AKI Press reports.

Akylbek Japarov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, met with representatives of China Power International and China Railway 20 Bureau Group to discuss details of the plan, which is expected to be formally agreed during President Sadyr Japarov’s visit to China, which is due to begin tomorrow.

The farm is expected to be located in the Issyk-Kul region, in the northeast of the country and close to the Chinese border.

Japarov commented: “This project is very important for us. Around 70% of hydropower potential of the country is untapped and the country has to import electricity at the same time.”

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Energy is also looking to solicit investment in hydropower schemes. To this end, it has prepared a list of 88 sites where small dams could be constructed, with subsidies from the country’s Green Energy Fund.

Chairman Japarov said in a press release: “The Cabinet of Ministers is committed to a policy of openness and transparency, changing the paradigm of cooperation with investors and declared investment projects. We are open to investment proposals for development of the energy sector.”