We have a space for improvement

Caspian Energy (CE): Mr. Turdubayev, could you please sum up the results of operation of the energy sector in 2014? What was the contribution of this sector to the total GDP across the republic?

Kubanychbek Turdubayev, Minister of Energy and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic: Let us sum up the results. I would like to present the statistical data for the 2014 year. 

For 12 months of the 2014 year energy generation in the republic totalled, according to the operational data, 14.54 billion kWh, which is 565.25 million kWh higher vs. the relevant figure for 2013. Of this, CHPPs accounted for 1.25 billion kWh and hydroelectric power stations for 13.3 billion kWh (including small hydroelectric power stations).

For the period under review, the REC grid received 12.2 billion kWh of electric power, which is 1.1 billion kWh up vs. the correspondent period of 2013 (11.1 billion kWh).

Consumers were supplied with 10.12 billion kWh of electric power, which is 1.1 billion kWh up compared with the same period of 2013 (9.0 billion kWh).

The REC’s commodity output made 9.3 billion Kyrgyz soms (KGS), collection of fees for supplied electric power across the REC made 9.1 billion KGS and comprised 97.2% of market products exposed for sale.

From January through October, electric power losses in the REC grid amounted to 2.0 billion kWh or 16.5%, while the figure for the same period of 2013 made 17.9%. Certainly, losses, if compared with indicators of developed countries, are still high, but they tend to decrease from year to year. For instance, at the yearend of 2010 this indicator made 26.7%. We are conducting active work in this area, including repair and modernization works, updating the electric equipment and transmission of operating networks.

Installation of electricity meters with the automated control and electricity measuring function is now in process in the city of Bishkek. 110,136 meters should have been installed by the end of 2015. It should be noted that such meters have the functions of remote disconnect/connect, load-shedding, remote taking meter readings and balance information.

One of the main objectives of the power sector is to reduce the indicator of emergency shutdowns. So, according to the operational data, in 2014 the amount of emergency shutdowns in 6/10 kV networks made 9,216 shutdowns, which is 652 shutdowns down (or – 6.6%) compared to the same period of the previous year.

According to the data of the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, in 2014 the GDP on production and distribution of electric power, gas and water accounted for 23.3 billion KGS or 1.62% of GDP of Kyrgyzstan.