BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 21. The thermal power plants of Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek will receive 50,000 tons of coal from Kazakhstan, Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibraev said during a briefing, Trend reports.
According to the minister, the contract has been concluded with the "Gefest" company of Kazakhstan and the start of coal supplies is expected by the end of this July.
"For the heating season, thermal power plants in Bishkek require a total of 1.5 million tons of coal. Out of this volume, 300,000 tons have already been stocked at the TPPs's warehouse. The remaining amount will be sourced from Kazakhstan and local deposits," Ibraev said.
He informed me that another 600,000 tons of coal are set to be delivered from Kyrgyzstan’s Kara-Kechе coal deposit and 50,000 tons from Tash-Kumyra.
The minister further emphasized that the TPPs of the city are fully prepared for this year, as they have secured contracts for gas, fuel oil, and coal, ensuring a stable and reliable supply of various types of fuel.
According to the State Statistical Committee of Kyrgyzstan, the country produced 1.104 million tons of brown coal (lignite) from January through May 2023, which is an 11.8 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2022 (988,000 tons).
On the contrary, Kyrgyzstan witnessed an 8 percent decline in the production of bituminous coal from January through May 2023. It decreased from 194,500 tons to 178,800 tons year-on-year.