Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 26 / Trend E. Ostapenko /
Eliminating the Unified Energy System of the Central Asian region is not profitable to its members, including Kazakhstan. The country has recently voiced the initiative to leave it. Its unreliable operation pushes Kazakhstan to leave it.
"The equal cooperation, given the interests of the parties and respect for each other, is required. All developed and the most developing world countries operate this way. This simple formula for the Central Asian countries is still unclear, Anvar Kamolidinov, an expert on water resources management, told Trend.
Only the smooth functioning of all parts of the Unified Energy System would be of general benefit to the countries of the Central Asian region, Kamolidinov said.
In early January, Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company KEGOC issued a statement of intent to intensify the work on separating the Kazakh energy system from the Unified Energy System of Central Asia. This decision was made in connection with the accident in Kyrgyzstan. The southern regions of Kazakhstan were left without energy for several hours on Jan. 5. According to KEGOC, there was a non-contractual selection of power (about 300 MW) from the Uzbek power system.
A few days later KEGOC stated that it does not intend to leave the Unified Energy System at this time. Uzbekistan stated about the plans of leaving a general system last year; later it did not implement them.
Kazakhstan's transition to an independent power supply will create difficulties in supplying the southern regions of South Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda and Almaty with power, Kamolidinov, director of the Tajik Branch of the Scientific Information Center of Interstate Coordination Water Commission of Central Asia, said.
It is advantageous for Kazakhstan to get cheap electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Production of additional electricity at the Kazakh Zhambyl hydroelectric power station using black oil to supply the southern areas will cost more than buying hydroelectric power of the Toktogul hydroelectric power station in Kyrgyzstan, from which some southern regions of Kazakhstan are supplied electricity, Kamolidinov said.
The hydroelectric power stations located on the banks of the Siberian rivers help Kazakhstan to provide the northern areas of the country with electricity. However, power of the transit line North - South is sufficient to increase the supply of electricity at peak hours from the northern to the southern regions.
The Unified Energy System of Central Asian region was established in Soviet times without taking into account the borders between the republics of the region. It was assumed that the countries situated upstream and downstream of the river would exchange water for irrigation and hydroelectric power for fossil fuel.
The situation changed radically after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The system accidents and violations of dispatcher regimes periodically occur in this scheme due to the lack of coordination among the countries of the region. The frequent disruptions occur in power lines. It leaves the entire regions without energy.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, situated along the upstream, have the ability to provide energy supplies to the maximum load. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, situated along the downstream, can provide base load in the Unified Energy System of Central Asia.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan help Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to provide their populations with electricity during peak hours in winter, getting the electricity back from the thermoelectric power stations of both countries during off-peak hours. However, they are obliged to provide energy for base load even in summer due to lack of their own thermoelectric power stations.
The break of the Unified Energy System in Central Asia is a temporary phenomenon. It will be restored for the simple reason that it is necessary for all, Kamolidinov said.
The Tajik energy system is disconnected from the Unified Energy System for over a year, but it is associated with the system through the Uzbek power lines.
Tajikistan is gradually adapting to the independent work of its energy system, Kamolidinov said.
The country reduced the electricity shortages in winter twice after launching a joint Russian-Tajik Sangtuda-1 Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Vakhsh River, he said. Perhaps, Sangtuda-2 Hydroelectric Power Plant, being built with the help of Iran, will be commissioned.
Lack of coordination in the functioning of the Unified Energy System leads to unnecessary loss of large amounts of raw materials, the expert said.
For example, about 7 billion cubic meters of water were dropped in Tajikistan last summer. If this electricity had been bought at the price of one cent from Tajikistan, this would amount to $70 million.
"Foreign energy players are able to count the benefit without political ambitions. Cheap hydroelectric power in Tajikistan will find its market in other countries," he said.
Kyrgyzstan is also subjected to the violations in the country's energy system, despite functioning of the Toktogul Hydroelectric Station on its territory, Kamolidinov said.
According to the Kyrgyz Energy Ministry, Bishkek's thermoelectric power station, which generates about 280 megawatts of electricity, will fail to meet the demands of consumers of Northern Kyrgyzstan. The population of this part of the country consumes 1,900 megawatts of electricity and Bishkek - half of this amount.
"One may hope for restoring the Unified Energy System of Central Asia and establishing the just and mutually beneficial electricity market between the countries of the region," Kamolidinov said.