DUSHANBE, July 24, Asia-Plus – This year has been one of the most unfavorable for Tajikistan, Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov remarked at a meeting of the board of the Ministry of Economy and Trade on July 22.
Oqilov did not rule out that interruptions in the natural gas electricity supplies would recur this year again.
“The only way out of the energy crisis is to import electric power from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in the autumn-winter season,” Oqilov told journalists following the ministry’s board meeting. “This year, Tajikistan intends to import more electricity than last year,” the prime minister said, noting that currently the “Barqi Tojik” energy holding and the Tajik Aluminum Plant (TadAZ) are currently negotiating with the neighboring countries the prices and volumes of electricity deliveries to Tajikistan in the autumn-winter season of 2006-07.
On the preparations to ensure the regular work of the country’s economy during autumn-winter 2006-2007, Oqilov noted that Tajikistan had to purchase 30,000 tons of fuel oil and tackle problems of providing the population with electric power and coal. According to him, the Ministry of Energy and other relevant organizations should analyze the current situation in the energy sector and consider the possibility of transferring some power facilities from running on fuel oil to running on coal extracted in Tajikistan.
In the meantime, the Energy Minister Abdullo Yorov noted that water level in the reservoir of the Norak hydroelectric power station was still critical and 2.2 billion cubic meters of water were needed for filling it.
The energy minister also noted that the city of Kulob would have problems with natural gas deliveries this year. “To tackle this problem it is necessary to take additional measures because the “Khoja Sartez” gas field supplying natural gas to Kulob is still being repaired,” the minister said.
Abdullo Yorov also insists on reviewing the natural gas rates.
According to information from the State Committee for Statistics, Tajikistan has produced 7.8 billion kWh of electricity in January-June 2006, which is 2.2 percent fewer compared to the same period of 2005. Over the same six-month period, Tajikistan has extracted 13,600 tons of coal, 11,200 tons of oil, as well as 10.7 million cubic meters of natural gas.
In January-June 2006, Tajikistan has exported some 2 billion kWh of electricity worth US$43.2 million. Tajikistan has imported US$17.4 million worth of 315.5 million cubic meters of natural gas over the same six-month period.
