Tajikistan exports 1.5 billion kWh of electricity to Uzbekistan
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
About 1.5 billion kWh of electricity was exported by Tajikistan to Uzbekistan in April-September of 2018.
First deputy chairman of Barki Tochik, Mahmadumar Asozoda, more precisely stressed that for this period 1 billion 480 million kW / h of Tajik electricity was exported at a price of 2 U.S. cents per kilowatt.
Representative of Barki Tochik said that since September of this year, the export of electricity to neighboring Uzbekistan has stopped in order to meet domestic needs
Earlier in the report “Monitoring and Early Warning in Tajikistan” it was noted that in September 2018, Uzbek consumers received about 182 million kWh of Tajik electricity. This figure is 200 million kWh. less compared to the volume of August of this year.
A gradual reduction in the supply of electricity to Uzbekistan occurred after the peak volume in July - 417 million kWh.
Prior to that, the neighboring republic received from 110-120 million kilowatt-hours of Tajik electricity every month from April 2018.
Tajikistan, in accordance with the agreements reached between the two countries, pledged to supply at least 1.5 billion kW / h to Uzbekistan this year. electricity. The cost of each kilowatt should be 2 U.S. cents.
In September, the volume of electricity exports to Afghanistan also decreased from 200 million kW / h. in previous months to 158 million kWh in September.
At the beginning of 2018, Mahmadumar Asozoda reported that Tajikistan last year exported 1 billion 304 million kWh of electricity to Afghanistan. According to the agreements this year it is planned to increase this figure to 1.5 billion kW / h.
Asozoda considers that in 2017, Tajikistan exported electricity to neighboring Afghanistan at a price of 4,081 cents per kWh. According to the agreement signed earlier between the energy departments of the two countries, the cost of Tajik electricity for Afghanistan is increasing annually by 3 percent. The term of this agreement on tariffs is valid until 2029.
The amount of electricity exports to neighboring Afghanistan last year amounted to $ 52.3 million.
Tajikistan has restored electricity supplies to Uzbekistan since April this year after a nine-year break. In total, according to the agreements, Tajikistan will supply up to 1.5 billion kWh of electricity to the neighboring country.
Tajikistan can export up to 5 billion kWh of electricity. Seasonal recipients of Tajik electricity are Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan (1.5-2 billion kWh) along with Uzbekistan.
Over 18 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, which allowed the country to provide electricity without imposing a limit, were produced in Tajikistan in 2017.
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.
According to agreements reached by the electric power companies of the two countries, in summer, Uzbekistan purchases electricity from Tajikistan for $0.02 per kilowatt, in winter - $0.025 per kilowatt.
---
Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz