Kyrgyz people's 'sweet homes' may stay in darkness in winter
By Aynur Jafarova
Home, sweet home... 'Sweet' here means a comfortable house with all necessary conditions-commodity, hot and cold water, and especially electricity.
Unfortunately, the Kyrgyz people are not able to enjoy such sweetness. In winter when the average temperature often falls below zero, Kyrgyzstan with 5.5 million people suffer from lack of electricity.
When cold winter days come, neighboring Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which export electricity and gas to Kyrgyzstan, reduce the energy supply due to drop in air temperature, and increased domestic gas consumption.
It seems the same scenario will be observed this winter as well. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbayev has said the country has entered a shallow cycle, which last occurred in 2007-2008. Then the government assured the population that it will solve this problem and take necessary measures.
During the recent visit of Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov to Bishkek, Kyrgyz Energy and Industry Minister Osmonbek Artykbaev proposed to provide 0.5-1 billion kW/h Kazakh electricity to his country in the autumn-winter period.
Besides attempts to import electricity from neighboring countries, Kyrgyzstan tries to ensure its own energy independence by the means of improving the domestic power plants and power lines.
In June 2014, President Almazbek Atambayev said Kyrgyzstan, where the electricity consumption increased by one and half times in the last four years, will reach absolute energy independence in one and half year.
"The work on the second unit of Kambarata Hydro Power Plant will be completed by 2016, and it will work at full capacity. Now half of its generated electricity stays in the station because of the power lines. By that time the reconstruction of Bishkek heat and power plant are also completed, its capacity will increase by two times", Atambayev said.
He also noted in 2015, the construction of Datka-Kemin power lines will be completed.
"The construction of alternative road connecting the north and south of the country has begun. We are constructing Osh-Isfana road. In August, construction of a tunnel in Suzak will begin," the president added.
Kyrgyz experts believe the solution of Kyrgyzstan's energy problem is to start using coal instead of gas in industry, heating and electricity production, because the country has about 1.4 billion tons of coal in its deposits.