Rudnichnye HPPs on the Koksu River: investments against nature
Last week Orda.kz has published an investigation into the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Koksu River, which is underway right now in the Zhetysu region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Our questions were raised by the involvement of large mining corporations in the construction of power plants. And the activists and athletes who met with representatives of the company building the hydroelectric power station on January 27 had questions about the nature of the Koksu Gorge, which will be affected by the construction of the station. They discussed the same topic with akim of Kerbulak district Kanat Esbolatov. Correspondent of the Orda.kz tells what the official thinks about the construction of the hydroelectric power stations:
Unlike the meeting on January 27, at yesterday’s meeting in the village of Koksu, Orda journalists.kz failed to attend. But through the efforts of activists from Taldykorgan, an online broadcast from a local school was organized.
On the part of opponents of the construction of a hydroelectric power station in the Koksu Gorge, the main person was again the president of the Rafting Federation of Kazakhstan Konstantin O. Akim was told the same facts that were at the meeting at the end of January. The first fact: the section of the river adjacent to the power plant is suitable for both professional rafting competitions and amateur rafting. According to Oh, even the creation of artificial rapids down the river will not solve the situation when it is flooded — this option was voiced by the head of the Rudnichnye HPPs project Aliy Karabalin.
“It’s as if they found copper on the main slopes in Almaty on the Shimbulak and said: “We will mine here, and we will move you to another hill.” Someone will really agree to ride elsewhere, but how many will there be?” asks Konstantin O.
Plus, according to his estimates, the creation of such a “rowing channel” will cost at least a million dollars.
The second fact is that there is a unique nature in the Koksu gorge, which not only residents of the Zhetysu region, but also Almaty and Almaty region come to see.
Kanat Esbolatov replied on this occasion: for him, first of all, the investments that the hydroelectric power station builders will bring with them are important.
“I have to support investors with my hands and feet,” the akim outlined his position quite clearly.
For example, in a conversation he stressed several times that the HPPs will pay a billion tenge of taxes annually. This billion, according to the akim, will help in the development of the Kerbulak district in general and the villages and settlements adjacent to the HPP in particular. Tourism, according to the official, will not bring them a billion tenge of taxes.
“They are primarily investors. Even the president says, “Attract investors,”” said Esbolatov, referring to Energobildservice LLP, which is building the power plant.
However, he was reminded that the president calls for the development of tourism. And the construction of a hydroelectric power station, according to Konstantin O and other activists, will harm tourism in this place.
“Now people come here to admire the untouched authentic nature. How can you attract tourists with a piece of concrete?” — says the athlete.
According to Kanat Esbolatov, he also thought about tourism — there are plans to improve the territory adjacent to the hydroelectric power station, install toilets there and place a cafe. Plus, according to him, they are going to create a ski base in Koksu; however, its equipment is now stuck at customs in Azerbaijan.
And in general: “We are doing it for the population!” — said akim.
And then he added:
“This is for the people! And you: rafting, rafting!”
From the broadcast it was possible to understand that at least two residents of Koksu really support the construction of the hydroelectric power station, and they called the rafters those who come for a week.
The rafters themselves again voiced fears that the conditions for rafting would be spoiled not only upstream, but also below the hydroelectric power station. According to Konstantin O, they already have such a sad experience at other power plants, with which there was an agreement to discharge the volume of water that is necessary for the competition. And as a result, they received much less.
Aliy Karabalin replied that they could conclude an agreement under which as much water as necessary would be discharged from the HPP, but only if they were notified in advance. However, Karabalin vaguely explained with whom exactly it is necessary to conclude an agreement:
“We are building now, but we are a subsidiary, we have a parent company.”
The name Kazminerals, which owns Energobildservice LLP, was not mentioned once during the conversation. It ended, by the way, with a proposal to the rafters to call their specialists and once again return to the shores of Koksu. So, apparently, this story is not over yet.
Igor Ulitin (Orda.kz)
