DUSHANBE, April 4, Asia-Plus — Uzbekistan’s state holding Uzbekenergo plans to have supplied the remainder of 600 million kWh of electricity, projected for 2007, already by mid-April, Asia-Plus has learned from a source at the Uzbek Embassy in Dushanbe.
The source said that such a decision had been made at an extraordinary meeting of Central Asia’s Energy Coordination Committee in Tashkent. “The Tajik side made request for this in connection with the serious situation that formed in the country’s energy sector lately,” the source said.
According to him, under an agreement between Uzbekenergo and Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding, Uzbekistan committed to supply 600 million kWh of electricity to Tajikistan this year in two stages: 374.2 million kWh from January to April and the remainder from September to December.
The source further added that “it cannot be ruled out that an additional agreement on the supply of Uzbek electricity to Tajikistan during autumn-winter 2007-2008 will be concluded in mid-2007.” “Over the past three months, Uzbekistan has delivered 459.9 million kWh of electrical power to Tajikistan,” the source said.
According to him, the committee also concerted on transit delivery of electricity of Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan during the last days of March at the rate of 3 million kWh per day and increasing Kyrgyz electricity supplies to Tajikistan up to 200 million kWh in April. The source noted that the possible increase in Kyrgyz electricity supplies depends on operating conditions of Kyrgyzstan’s energy system and the water level in the reservoir powering the Toktogul power plant.
Tajik side also raised the issue of transit supply of electrical power from Turkmenistan to Tajikistan via the power system of Uzbekistan at the meeting.
We will recall that Tajikistan and Uzbekistan failed to reach deal on Turkmen electricity. Tajik and Uzbek officials discussed terms for the possible transit of Turkmen electricity through Uzbekistan but the talks have ended without a breakthrough that would allowed for Tajikistan to receive electricity supplies from Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan has agreed to export 1 billion kWh of electricity a year to Tajikistan, but transit through Uzbekistan remains a sticking point.
The source said that according to Uzbekenergo, this transit is impossible due to changes in operating conditions of the power systems of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and “lack of electricity-transmission links between the two countries”. “To rehabilitate power grid linking Qaraqul and Serdar sub-stations it is necessary not only to prepare a project for the construction of poles for a 500-kilovolt power-transmission line but also to cardinally change operating conditions of the Uzbek and Turkmen power systems,” the source said.
“According to specialists, the implementation of this project will take at least from six to nine months and require finding additional funds,” the source said.
According to him, participants at the meeting of the Energy Coordination Committee have decided to set up a joint Tajik-Turkmen commission that will study the issues related to reviving regional power grid lining Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
