Kyrgyzstan suspends export of electricity to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
By Kamila Aliyeva
The National Energy Holding of Kyrgyzstan decided to suspend the export of electricity to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in connection with the coming cold weather on January 25, Uzbek and Kyrgyz media outlets reported.
The agreement spells out these measures, so there will be no discontent from neighbors, according to the head of the energy holding of Kyrgyzstan Aibek Kaliev.
The resume of supplies from Kyrgyzstan will depend on the weather conditions, he said.
Over the past day, Kyrgyz citizens used 63.7 million kWh, while on warmer days consumption was 57 million kWh.
The National Energy Holding planned to load the Bishkek power plant in December-February at the level of 320 megawatts, but the average load in December was 350 megawatts, in January - 287 megawatts, according to the official.
“But with cooling we have prepared heat supply reserves. It is possible to raise the supply of heat to 400 MW,” Kaliyev said.
Uzbekistan last year began buying cheap electricity from Kyrgyzstan. Deliveries were started on June 16 as part of a contract concluded between Electric Stations and Uzbekenergo. According to representatives of the Uzbek side, this is done to optimize the operation of the energy system and provide the agricultural sector with water resources.
After the summer exports (June-October) in the amount of 1.1 billion kWh of electricity, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have concluded an agreement on the export of electricity in the amount of 550 million kWh from December 2017 to March 2018. The cost of one kilowatt-hour under the contract is 2.4 cents.
If Kyrgyzstan delivers the entire amount at the specified price, it will be possible to earn $13.2 million.
The volume of electricity generation in Kyrgyzstan for January-November 2017 stood at the level of 13.322 billion kWh, which is 2.671 billion kWh, or 25 percent more than in 2016.
Currently, Uzbekenergo annually produces over 60 billion kWh of electricity, of which 10 percent is produced by HPPs and 90 percent by thermal power stations. Electricity consumption in the country is increasing every year. So, if in 2000 the monthly consumption of one family was 114 kWh, then by 2016 it increased by 35 percent and reached 160 kWh.
Previously, Central Asia had a unified energy system. It included 83 power plants with total capacity of 25,000 megawatts in the territory of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and southern Kazakhstan.
In winter, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan accumulated water in reservoirs and received electricity and energy resources (coal and natural gas) from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In summer, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan sent water to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for irrigation farming.
However, after Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan left the unified energy system of Central Asia in 2003 and 2009, respectively, the system ceased to function.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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