In 2023, Kyrgyzstan increased its electricity export to Kazakhstan almost eightfold, which is used to meet the domestic demand of Kazakhstan rather than for re-export, Kazakh media reports.
According to the National Statistics Bureau of Kazakhstan, from January to November 2023, Kazakhstan produced 102.4 billion kWh of electricity, while importing 17.8 billion kWh.
The volumes of electricity production and export from Kazakhstan remained roughly at the same level as the corresponding period in 2022, but imports increased by more than 5 times.
Payments for supplies from Kyrgyzstan amounted to $422 million, and from Russia - $213.9 million. The volume of purchases from the Kyrgyz Republic increased by 7.9 times, while from Russia, it increased by 2.6 times.
At the same time, the share of domestically produced electricity in Kazakhstan for the first 11 months of 2023 was 85.1%, and the import share was 14.9%. In the previous year, these figures were 97.5% and 2.5%, respectively.
According to trade statistics, Kazakhstan's electricity imports increased by 5.3 times. The entire imported volume of energy came from Kyrgyzstan (13.5 billion kWh) and Russia (4.3 billion kWh).
Kazakhstan and Mongolia are key markets for Russia, as both countries experience rapid growth in energy consumption.
To meet the growing energy demand, Kazakhstan plans to build a new nuclear power plant. However, its construction is still in the planning stage, and if the project is implemented, Russian energy companies have 10 years to earn revenue from exporting electricity to the Kazakhstani market.
In which countries does Kyrgyzstan export electricity?
Kyrgyzstan began exporting electricity to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on June 1, 2022. The countries agreed on mutual electricity supply for the period 2021-2023.
The total export volume is 1.65 billion kWh, of which 250 million kWh is allocated for Uzbekistan and 300 million kWh for Kazakhstan in 2023. Later, electricity supplies to these countries were increased.
Agreements were reached to accumulate water in the Toktogul Reservoir and provide irrigation water to agricultural consumers in both countries.
Earlier, Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov announced in an interview that from 2024, Kyrgyzstan will export electricity to Pakistan and Afghanistan through the CASA-1000 line.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
January 29, 2024