Mining farms are being turned off in Kyrgyzstan due to the threat of an energy crisis
Kyrgyzstan has decided to completely disable all mining farms in the country. About this in an interview with the agency 24.kg Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibrayev said, stressing that this step is a necessary measure in the face of an increasing shortage of electricity. According to him, the issue is under his special control.
The reason for the critical situation in the republic’s energy sector was a significant drop in the water level in the Toktogul reservoir. The volume of water in it is now almost 2 billion cubic meters less than last year. The Minister called on citizens, companies and organizations to austerity in order to keep the volume of water in the reservoir at the level of 7 billion cubic meters by April 1, by the end of the heating season. Otherwise, as Ibrayev explained, there is a risk of reaching a “dead mark” when the HPP generators stop and stop generating electricity. In this regard, during peak hours the load is already reduced from 5 to 3 kilowatts.
The head of the department described the upcoming winter as difficult and again stressed the need for widespread savings. Electricity consumption in Kyrgyzstan is increasing by about 1 billion kWh annually, and this year, according to forecasts, it will reach 20 billion kWh, while ten years ago this figure was 14 billion kWh.
To solve the systemic problem, the Government of Kyrgyzstan is accelerating the construction of new generating capacities. 24 small and medium-sized HPPs with a total capacity of over 150 MW have already been commissioned. At the same time, the existing stations are being modernized. Thus, the reconstruction of all four units has been completed at the Toktogul HPP, which added 240 MW of capacity. Work continues at the Uch-Kurgan HPP, where, after commissioning two more units, the station’s capacity will increase by 36 MW. There are also plans to launch the first 100-120 MW solar power plant.
According to the minister, the key task at the moment is to pass the winter period without imposing serious restrictions on consumers. In the longer term, the country relies on large projects. Investment agreements have already been signed on the cascade of the Kazarman and Kokomeren HPPs with a total capacity of 2,200 MW. It is planned to complete the construction of the Kulanak HPP in the Naryn region next year, and the Orto-Tokoy HPP with a capacity of 21 MW is 75% ready.
Particular attention is paid to the flagship project – the construction of the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 with a capacity of 1,860 MW on the Naryn River. All preparatory work on it has been completed. The construction cost is estimated at $ 3.6 billion, and the implementation period will be about 10 years, while the first hydroelectric unit is scheduled to be launched in four years.
The problem of electricity shortage and the impact of mining on it is also relevant for neighboring countries. Kazakhstan, which imported 299.4 million kWh of electricity from Kyrgyzstan in January–August, which is 3.1 times more in volume than in the same period of 2023, is also facing a shortage of capacity. According to the Supreme Audit Chamber of Kazakhstan, the activity of miners is one of the key reasons for the energy deficit, which in recent years has been covered by expensive imports from Russia. In 2024, Kazakhstani miners consumed 901 million kWh in the amount of 13 billion tenge.
Original (in Russian): В Кыргызстане отключают майнинг-фермы из-за угрозы энергокризиса
