Kyrgyzstan is on the verge of energy crisis. The photo shows Vladimir Putin, left, and Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiev, right.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Kyrgyzstan to Be Left Without Electric Light
Kyrgyzstan is on the verge of energy collapse and the peak is forecasted for winter. The crisis may aggravate situation in the country to the extent of a new revolution. Seeking Russia’s help is the only way out for President Kurmanbek Bakiev.
Kurmanbek Bakiev has publicly acknowledged the failure to ensure continuous supplies of electric energy to the nation. “This year’s winter will be difficult in terms of stable electricity/heat supplies to the republic. So already today, we have to set to storing up the required reserves of coal to heat houses and transfer to the coal heating,” Bakiev said after visiting energy facilitates in the country.
The situation with energy supplies has never been so tough over all 17 years of Kyrgyzstan’s independence. The key reason is the drought, which curtailed water supplies to the Central Asia’ biggest Toktogul water-storage reservoir, the Naryn River. In best years, Toktogul accumulates up to 19.5 billion cu meters of water, but no more than 7.4 billion cu meters have been left this spring, i.e. 4 billion cu meters less than needed to meet minimum requirement of the region.
Kyrgyzstan is saving energy at large. Even the country’s capital, Bishkek suffers from prolonged energy switch-offs and the general lack of electricity is driving down industrial output of the country. Another unpopular effort of authorities is the 25-percent increase in tariff rates for energy and hot-water supplies. What’s more, Bakiev aggressively promotes privatization of electric energy facilities.
But all these actions haven’t inspired analysts. They say the only way out is to seek help of neighboring Russia, and it was the main mission of past week’s tour of Bakiev to Moscow.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 22, 2008
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