Legal Action and Protests Target Hydropower Project on Kichi-Kemin River
Residents of Ak-Tüz village in the Chuy Region of Kyrgyzstan are calling for the suspension of a small hydropower plant project on the Kichi-Kemin River. The facility, under construction by the private firm Energia Budushchego, has sparked concerns regarding the potential loss of the area’s primary drinking water source. Formal appeals have been submitted to President Sadyr Japarov and state ministries to address the situation.
Construction in the Sary-Kungoy area began despite claims that public hearing protocols were bypassed. Local residents report that the project’s technical execution deviates from the approved plans. Contractors have reportedly obstructed half of the river channel with soil – a violation of sanitary protection zone standards – while also damaging mountain springs and conducting unauthorized logging.
The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision has confirmed multiple environmental violations following an unscheduled inspection. Regulatory findings indicate that no permits were issued for the removal of vegetation or the dismantling of the existing water intake and distribution infrastructure. A formal directive has been issued to the developer to address the non-compliance.
Legal proceedings against Energia Budushchego have been initiated in response to the findings. The Ministry has filed a lawsuit for 16.3 million soms for environmental damage, supplemented by a separate claim for illegal tree felling. Specialists are continuing to assess the extent of land degradation for further penalties. Documentation of the violations has been forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for legal review.
Despite the ongoing litigation and official findings of environmental breaches, construction activity on the Kichi-Kemin River continues. Residents maintain that the sustained impact on the local ecosystem will lead to irreversible damage – potentially resulting in the complete failure of the settlement’s water supply system.