Abstract. The Central Asian countries, against the background of the rapid growth of electricity and energy consumption in the conditions of the systemic aging of the energy generating infrastructure, have been facing a systemic energy crisis for the past few years. In fact, today all the countries of the region have already overcome the energy “Chubais cross”, when electricity generation in the region and the extraction of energy resources are insufficient for the growing demand of consumption. All this creates a situation when the Central Asian countries face the need to adopt and implement a comprehensive, advanced program for the development of the energy industry, using the full range of opportunities. In the current geopolitical situation, Russia can become the main partner for the countries of the region to overcome the energy crisis by intensifying cooperation in the gas sector with the reversal of the Central Asia-Center gas pipelines, with the construction of at least two large nuclear power plants and the implementation of mini-reactors, as well as the use of the potential of  “green” energy.