Uzbekistan’s power system is expected to begin operating in parallel with Tajik power system after completion of installation of emergency automation and relay protection at the power system in Tajikistan in 2018.
Citing Uzbek state-run power company Uzbekenergo, Uzbekistan National Agency, also known as UzA, reports that Uzbekenergo plans to establish parallel operation with power system of Tajikistan. To-date, Uzbekistan has reportedly prepared 220kV and 55kV power transmission lines for operation.
UzA reports that Tajikistan has been implementing projects aiming at installation of emergency automation and relay protection at its power system. “It is planned to establish parallel operation of the power systems of the two countries after completion of these projects in 2018,” Uzbekenergo was cited as saying.
In Uzbekistan, the majority of primary energy comes from fossil fuels, with natural gas, coal and oil the main sources. Natural gas is the source for 73.8% of electricity production, followed by hydroelectricity with 21.4%.
Recall, Central Asia’s nations have repeatedly stated the necessity of resurrection of Central Asia’s unified power grid in recent years. Tajikistan has repeatedly said that Uzbekistan is also interested in restoration of the Central Asian unified power grid.
Some international experts consider that Tajikistan is the Central Asian state currently most interested in reviving the grid. Back in 2007, it was the worst prepared state in the region to handle the frigid winter. Two years later, when another harsh winter hit the country, Tajikistan, without seeking permission, reportedly drew more than its allocated share from the regional unified grid.
Kazakhstan suspended its participation in the Central Asian unified power grid in February 2009 and redirected electricity supplies for domestic use.
Kazakhstan’s national energy network (KEGOK) said in a statement on February 26, 2009 that extra electricity exports to Tajikistan, for example, led to power outages in southern Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan officially left the Soviet-era regional power grid that united the country with its three Central Asian neighbors in December 2009.
Tajik authorities that time criticized Uzbekistan’s decision as an effort to put pressure on neighbors. The move left Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan facing severe electricity shortages during the winter months.
Uzbekistan’s geographic location made it one of the most important members of the unified system, as many regions in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had been supplied with electricity through power lines crossing Uzbek territory.
For the last several years, Turkmenistan has wanted to sell electricity to Tajikistan, but that power would be most easily transferred using lines that cross some 200 kilometers of the territory of Uzbekistan, which left that regional power grid. Therefore, the Turkmen-Tajik deal never moved forward.
However, after introducing new facilities into operation Tajikistan now meets its annual requirements in electricity almost completely.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan (MoEWR), Tajik power system is fully prepared for operation in parallel with the Central Asian unified power grid. Tajikistan is reportedly ready to supply electricity to neighboring countries. Today the only problem is that Uzbekistan has dismantled the 500 kV power transmission line from the Guzar substation in its territory to the Regar substation in Tajikistan, Tajik power engineering specialists say.
Tajikistan has sufficient summer-time (defined as May 1 to September 30) hydropower surpluses to export to the neighboring countries.
Tajikistan is reportedly able to export up to 5 billion kWh of electricity during summer period. Today, Tajikistan exports 800 million kWh of electricity to Afghanistan and 600 million kWh of electricity to Kyrgyzstan during summer period. The remaining 3.6 billion kWh of Tajikistan’s surplus electricity remain unused during summer period because of withdrawal of Uzbekistan from the Central Asian unified power grid.
