On April 25, in Bishkek, energy and water ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan discussed ensuring the sustainable and coordinated operation of Central Asia’s water and energy systems during the upcoming 2026 growing season.
The meeting focused on mutual obligations of each country. The ministers noted the historical interconnectedness of national energy systems, with instability in one country inevitably affecting the entire region.
At the meeting, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan confirmed their readiness to coordinate actions aimed at preventing a decline in water levels in the Toktogul Reservoir, which is a key factor in ensuring regional water and energy stability, according to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Energy.
The Toktogul hydropower plant (HPP), located on the Naryn River, a key tributary of the Syr Darya, is Kyrgyzstan’s largest power plant, generating about 40% of the country’s electricity. The plant’s reservoir plays a dual role: meeting domestic energy needs and regulating water flows to downstream Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for agricultural irrigation. In winter, Kyrgyzstan increases power output to meet heating demand, often at the expense of reservoir levels, which can compromise irrigation capacity the following spring.
At the Bishkek meeting, Kazakhstan confirmed its readiness to continue providing practical assistance to Kyrgyzstan’s energy system, which is experiencing chronic electricity shortages, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy. Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said that from September 2025 to April 2026, Kazakhstan supplied more than 1.5 billion kWh of electricity to Kyrgyzstan, helping to maintain the required water level in the Toktogul Reservoir to meet the region’s irrigation needs during the upcoming summer season.
Akkenzhenov emphasized the need for all parties to strictly adhere to previously reached water and energy agreements to ensure the region’s balance of interests.
Photo: minenergo.gov.kg
