Chinese hydroelectric power plants for the rivers of Kyrgyzstan: the price of energy independence
At the end of June, in Tianjin, China, on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum “Summer Davos-2025”, the Kyrgyz delegation headed by Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev held a series of pragmatic meetings with representatives of large Chinese companies. The focus was on large-scale cooperation with Chinese corporations in the field of hydropower, presented as a panacea for the republic’s energy deficit.
The key partner is the Chinese TVEA Corporation, with which a memorandum of intent was signed in 2023 on the construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power stations on the Sary-Jazz River. In Tianjin, the parties confirmed their readiness to move on, promising to “increase the reliability and capacity of the energy sector.”
The parade of meetings continued with negotiations with other industrial giants from China. The management of Dongfang Electric Corporation, one of the world leaders in the production of turbines for hydropower plants, discussed with the Kyrgyz side “prospects for the development of cooperation.” China Energy International Group Co., Ltd also expressed interest in the construction of hydroelectric power plants in Kyrgyzstan, as well as Reclaim Group and Hengyu Group companies aimed at projects in the field of water infrastructure. Each of these meetings ended with standard assurances of mutual interest.
The official position of Bishkek, voiced by the head of the Cabinet of Ministers, is that Kyrgyzstan “attaches priority importance to sustainable development” and is looking for partners with a “high international level of expertise.” However, this is where the main dissonance arises. Can development based on the construction of hydroelectric power stations, which are recognized worldwide as a source of serious environmental problems, be considered truly “sustainable”?
Kyrgyzstan’s desire to gain energy independence is understandable and justified, but the chosen path is alarming. Negotiations with a pool of Chinese companies interested primarily in large-scale contracts for the construction and supply of equipment for hydropower plants create the illusion of a quick solution to the energy problem of Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, behind the closed doors of international forums, issues of environmental expertise, public discussion and long-term consequences for transboundary rivers seem to fade into the background. Cooperation in hydropower, presented as a blessing, risks turning into not only environmental problems for Kyrgyzstan in vulnerable mountainous regions, but also long-term technological and financial dependence on its powerful neighbor. The question remains open: is the republic changing the energy deficit into an environmental and debt trap, beautifully packaged in promises of a “green” future?
Alexander Eskendirov (Rivers.Help!)
Original (in Russian): Китайские ГЭС для рек Кыргызстана: цена энергонезависимости
