Minister of Energy of Kyrgyzstan Taalaibek Ibraev announced that the country is facing an electricity shortage in 2023. The shortage stands at 3.2 billion kilowatt-hours, EADaily reports.
Speaking at a press conference, Taalaibek Ibraev said in the autumn and winter of 2023, the hydropower plants throughout Kyrgyzstan produced 14 billion kilowatt-hours, and the Bishkek thermal power plant produced 1.9 billion kilowatt-hours. With the cold weather settling in, the capacities of the power plants in the country will be increased from 70-90 megawatts on cool days to a maximum of 500 megawatts during frosts.
«In Kyrgyzstan, total electricity consumption will be 17.4 billion kilowatt-hours. We plan to import 3.2 billion kilowatt-hours to make up for the shortage. It means that we lack 400 megawatts,» the Minister of Energy said, adding that the contracts with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia have been concluded to make up for an electricity shortage.
Ibraev noted that the Kyrgyz authorities decided to play it safe in case of emergency and import electricity with a margin of 600 million kilowatt-hours.
