BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 27. Kyrgyzstan is discussing is in talks with Russia's Gazprom regarding the supply of more than 500 million cubic meters of gas per year, Deputy Minister of Energy of Kyrgyzstan Talaibek Baigaziev said on the sidelines of the Atomexpo 2024 forum in Sochi, Trend reports.
According to Baigaziev, Kyrgyzstan will already consider volumes for future years - from half a billion cubic meters and above. The official clarified that negotiations on this issue with Gazprom will take place on March 28.
He noted that Kyrgyzstan currently imports about 300-340 million cubic meters of gas per year and plans to increase this volume in the near future. The issue of possible transit of Russian gas through Kyrgyzstan to China is not being discussed, the Kyrgyz official added.
Currently, Kyrgyzstan imports gas from two countries – Russia and Uzbekistan. According to the National Statistical Committee of the Republic, in 2023 the country increased gas imports by 5.7 percent to 438.7 million cubic meters, including purchases of Russian gas amounted to 389.3 million cubic meters (up by 4.7 percent), and in value terms – $58.4 million (up by 4.7 percent).
Meanwhile, CEO of Gazprom Alexey Miller said earlier that the company plans to sign long-term gas supply and transit agreements with Kyrgyzstan, as well as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, in 2024. According to him, it's about signing contracts for 15 years by mid-2024.
According to Miller, the parties are also discussing plans to further expand the supply of Russian gas through the Central Asia-Center gas pipeline system. The capacity of this gas pipeline system is about 50 bcm per year.