Central Asia’s electricity system falls apart

• 15 years ago (2009-11-23)
• David Flin

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had already notified fellow members of the common grid of its intention to quit in early October. Two days after Turganov’s announcement, a senior official from ’s state energy company, Uzbekenergo, outlined ’s problems with the system and explained its intention to withdraw from the grid. In an article published in Uzbekistan’s Pravda Vostok , Esso Sadullayev, head of Uzbekenergo’s dispatch centre, criticised members of the common system, who "attempt to meet only their own selfish interests, while not taking into account the negative effects they cause to others. The current situation is a real threat to the stability and safe operation of ’s power system," Sadullayev wrote.

has taken an increasingly tough stance on the issue, periodically cutting off gas supplies to and over unpaid bills. has also opposed the construction of additional hydropower plants in the upstream countries over fears this will reduce water available for irrigation.

is now planning a major expansion of its domestic electricity infrastructure. It plans to raise $3.5 billion between 2009 and 2014 to finance the sector’s development and increase capacity by around 2,700MW. Investments in new transmission lines and transformer capacity are also planned.

Overall, faces a power deficit of around 2.6 TWh this winter, Asia-Plus quotes Barki Tojik as saying. While the country has considerable hydropower resources, it relies on imports of electricity and gas in winter. Imports of electricity from were due to start November 1, but an agreement on transmission of the electricity via ’s grid still has not been reached.