Kazakhstan, Astana, August 1 / Trend, D. Mukhtarov /
Kyrgyzstan's refusal to buy Kazakh coal will not be a great loss for Kazakhstan, a representative of Industry and New Technologies Ministry of Kazakhstan told Trend on the condition of anonymity.
"For Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan's decision to refuse to buy Kazakh coal will not be a big loss. Starting in 2010, our country passed a production barrier of 100 million tons per year. Whereas, supplies to Kyrgyzstan are very small. The main focus of Kazakhstan's coal exports are Russian power plants," the interlocutor said.
The ministry's representative also said that coal produced in the country is used for its own needs, and is delivered to the Kazakhstan's power plants. The coal industry provides 80 percent of electricity production in the republic.
The source said that the coal production in Kazakhstan in 2015 will exceed 130 million tons, and by 2030 this figure will exceed 155 million tons per year.
In the next 10 years, about four billion dollars are planned to be invested in the coal industry. Some $ 1.7 billion are planned to be invested in the construction of new facilities and introduction of innovative technologies, and, about two billion dollars to be invested in update of mine and quarry fund.
Today, Kazakhstan's production share in the world is 1.7 percent, and about 15 percent among the CIS countries. For its coal reserves Kazakhstan holds eighth place in the world.
Earlier, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Energy and Industry Osmonbek Artykbaev spoke about Kyrgyzstan's intention to refuse to buy Kazakh coal and to start to use the coal resources of the Kyrgyz Republic itself.
According to him, the Thermal Power Plant's boilers are designed to use coal from the central area of Karakeche deposit.
"In the future we want to refuse to buy Kazakh coal and systematically switch boilers to the use of domestic coal. This is sure to raise our potential of coal mining industry, which we want to increase to one million tons within three years," Artykbaev said.
He also added that the forecasted coal reserves amount to over six billion tons and their development is the main task.
"Our task is to build a thermal power plant that will use Karakeche coal. In the future, we plan to sell our coal to China and Central Asian countries," Artykbaev said.