 Kyrgyzstan seeks to import electricity from KazakhstanSep 12, 2008 - Asia Pulse Data Source Kyrgyzstan is to buy 250 million kilowatt hours of electricity from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov said, according to AKIpress reports. Chudinov told the press that the possibility of importing electricity was discussed when the Djambul power station was launched in Kazakhstan. An energy crisis ahead of winter has forced the Kyrgyz government to seek additional energy supplies. The Prime Minister said the government intended to buy electricity from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. However, Tajikistan will not be able to export electricity this year. The Kyrgyz government has also tried to secure gas supplies from Uzbekistan to the power plant in the capital, Bishkek. Akhmed Djundubaev, a specialist from the Kyrgyz scientific energy centre, said it would be more profitable for the country to import electricity rather than to further exploit the Toktogul hydropower stations, which are on the verge of closure due to extremely low water levels in the reservoir. Kyrgyzstan needs nearly one billon kilowatt hours of energy from September until May 2009 in order to survive cold season. "Electricity imports from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are more viable economically," he said to the 24.kg news agency. The expert was surprised nothing similar was done in spring to prevent current power cuts throughout the country that are ruining fragile Kyrgyz economy. He also warned that if the government fails to strike a deal with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan now the Toktogul power stations will stop working in winter.
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