BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 4
By Nargiz Sadikhova – Trend:
The issue of restoring the parallel operation of the Unified Energy System by the Tajik side with neighboring countries, namely, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, is being considered, the Kazakh Ministry of Energy told Trend on Sept. 4.
The Unified Energy System of Central Asia was formed during the USSR period as a single energy complex of a big economic region.
As a connecting link of the Unified Energy System, a 500 kV closed electrical network, passing through four republics, namely, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, was built.
"Currently, the Unified Energy System of Kazakhstan is working in parallel with the Unified Energy System of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan)," a representative of the ministry said.
"The unsettled balance of production and consumption of electricity in the Unified Energy System of Central Asia in 2009 has repeatedly led to overloading and emergency shutdown of 500 kV North-South communication lines in Kazakhstan," Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) said.
"This was accompanied by deep restrictions on electricity consumption in all power systems working in parallel and disruptions in the economic activity and social sphere of the Central Asian countries," the ministry said.
In this regard, the Uzbek power system cut off the 500 kV communication lines with the Tajik power system in late October 2009.
"Currently, Tajikistan’s energy system operates separately from the energy system of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan)," the ministry said. "In this regard, the issue of restoring the parallel work is being worked out by the Tajik side with neighboring countries, namely, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan."
The Unified Energy System of Kazakhstan fully meets the electricity needs of the economy and the population, and there is no need to supply electricity from the energy systems of the Unified Energy System of Central Asia.
"Kazakhstan is open to considering the prospects for cooperation with the Central Asian countries in terms of exporting electricity to the neighboring countries (in case of receiving a proposal and the availability of technical capabilities) upon the resumption of full-fledged operation of the single energy ring in Central Asia," the ministry said.
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