Kyrgyzstan cuts electricity supply to Kazakhstan

Acting Minitser of Energy and Industry Osmonbek Artykbayev.Photo©kenesh.kgMinistry of Energy and Industry of Kyrgyzstan announced that they will not export electricity to Kazakhstan in 2014 due to the shortage of water in Toktogul, the largest water reservoir of the country, tengerinews reports citing the Acting Minister of Energy and Industry Osmonbek Artykbayev.

“We should have saved the water for the low-flow season, but we have exported 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours over the past years. We exhausted our resources during the period of water abundance. That is why we were saving and exported only 375 million kilowatt-hours for 4 cents per kWh to meet Kazakhstan’s need for water. This year there is not enough water but I would not say that we are in a difficult situation. It is most likely that we are not going to export electricity anywhere. If Kazakhstan needs water we will offer it for exchange (for something else). We will ask (Kazakhstan) to export electricity when we need it,” Artykbayev said.

Previously, Kyrgyzstan had been exporting electricity to bridge the shortage of funds. This year without the electricity export Kyrgyzstan will face a deficit of $110 million. Last year, 8 Kazakhstani companies bought Kyrgyz electricity for 4 cent per a kilowatt-hour. The country exported around 10 millions kilowatt-hours. Kyrgyzstan imported coal, fuel oil, and gas using the proceeds from the electricity export.

For more information see:http://en.tengrinews.kz/markets/Kyrgyzstan-cuts-electricity-supply-to-Kazakhstan-252645/
Use of the Tengrinews English materials must be accompanied by a hyperlink to en.Tengrinews.kz