DUSHANBE, October 26, 2009, Asia-Plus — The CIS electric energy council has endorsed the CIS energy cooperation concept and a plan of main actions for implementation of the concept.
The 36th session of the CIS Electric Energy Council, presided over by Russia’s Ministry of Energy Sergey Shmatko, was held in Chisinau, Moldova on October 24. Tajik Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali was the deputy chairman of the session.
According to the CIS Executive Committee, the meeting brought together energy ministers and top managers of a number of energy companies from the CIS states.
The session reviewed selected aspects of cooperation between the CIS countries in energy sector. The meeting participants, in particular, considered preparation of power systems of member nations for winter 2009-2010 and ways to mitigate effects of the global financial crisis.
They also discussed issues related to preparations for creation of the CIS common electric energy market as well as a concept of cooperation between the CIS states in the field of energy and a plan of main actions for implementation of the concept.
The meeting participants endorsed the concept, which provides for key objectives of the CIS states related to energy security as well as opportunities to increase generation and consumption of energy resources for ensuring economic growth, and the plan of action for implementation of this concept.
The document determines the basic principles of interaction between the CIS states mainly on the basis of market relations, priorities of hydropower engineering and gas sector. The concept is expected to be considered at a meeting of the CIS heads of government in Yalta, Ukraine next month.
The energy situation in Central Asia was among major topics of the Chisinau meeting. During the meeting it was noted that the most serious situation had emerged in Tajikistan.
However, the countries of the region managed to reach certain agreements. According to Russian energy minister, there are a quite number of issues concerning use of water and energy resources in Central Asia. For example, Tajikistan now has serious restrains conditioned by water content in rivers. Modification of the agreement is one of issues that were discussed in Chisinau.
Shmatko noted that Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan were interrelated and a special attention had been paid to reaching agreements
The CIS Electric Energy Council has met twice a year since 1992. The council is dedicated to create conditions for partnership and cooperation between the CIS states in the energy sector. A total capacity of power plants within the CIS area exceeds 322 million kW and they generate 1,264 billion kWh of electricity per year. A total length of power transmission lines within the CIS area is more than 200,000 kilometers.
