Kyrgyzstan from August 1 to the end of August 26 introduces a state of emergency in the energy industry

BISHKEK, July 24 (Reuters) –

From August 1, 2023, Kyrgyzstan introduces a state of emergency in the energy sector until December 31, 2026 and strengthens the role of the Ministry of Energy. The corresponding decree was signed by the president of the Central Asian country Sadyr Yaparov on Monday.

The state of emergency was introduced in the situation of low water inflow in the Narynnia basin, lack of generation capacity in the face of rapidly pre-emptive increase in energy consumption.

Pursuant to the regulation, the Ministry of Energy of the country has the right to designate and allocate plots of land for the use of renewable energy sources, the Minister of Energy, for the period of the state of emergency, is entrusted with general coordination of the activities of the deputy ministers of agriculture, natural resources, ecology and technical supervision responsible for land and water resources, subsoil use, directors of the Institute of Water Problems and Water Energy of the National Academy of Sciences and state institutions.

In addition, the President decided to carry out an inventory of plots suitable for the use of renewable energy sources and to start, from September 1, the expiry of the rights to use plots intended for the construction of energy facilities that are not used in accordance with their intended purpose or for which work on the feasibility study, design and construction of energy facilities has not commenced.

According to the government’s forecast, in 2023 electricity consumption in the country will amount to 16.6 billion kilowatt hours. The deficit could amount to 1.9 billion kilowatt hours.

At the beginning of the year, Kyrgyzstan signed contracts for the import of 2.0 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

(Olga Dziubenko, text by Maria Gordeeva. Edited by Dmitry Antonov)