USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator Änjali Kaur announced a new U.S. government-sponsored Green Solutions Activity in Bishkek. This five-year initiative backed by a $24 million investment aims to empower small and medium enterprises in the Kyrgyz Republic to adopt innovative green solutions, enhance energy efficiency, and increase the supply of renewable energy. “This investment marks a
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), successfully organized the second and third editions of the “Drops of the Future” youth workshop series on the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus. The workshops were held on 6-7 September in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and 19-20 September in Tashkent,
Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission has announced preliminary results of a nationwide referendum to decide whether Kazakhstan should build its first nuclear power plant. In the October 6 referendum, more than 5.5 million eligible voters (71.12%) said yes to the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. The Commission said voter turnout was 63.6%, surpassing
On September 24, Chairman of the Management Board of JSC National Company Kazakh Invest Yerzhan Yelekeyev held a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of China Datang Corporation Ltd. Zou Lei, during which the parties discussed the implementation of the company’s investment project in Kazakhstan. Zou Lei informed the Kazakh side about the project’s progress for
Tajik officials have said that electricity rationing is being introduced a month earlier than usual this year, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reported. Electricity rationing has turned into an annual routine in Tajikistan over the past three decades. It is usually introduced in late October or early November. But the Barqi Tojik state energy holding announced over the weekend
Construction work has been launched on the Afghan section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline. A ceremony to start works on the pipeline’s Serhetabat-Herat section was held on September 11 at a checkpoint on the Turkmen-Afghan border. It was attended by the Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Mullah Mohammad
Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Finance on September 9 said that it signed the Credit and Grant Agreements with the World Bank on a $13.6 million additional financing for the Kambarata-1 Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project in Kyrgyzstan. Consisting of a $2.6 million grant and a $11 million loan, this additional funding will supplement the World Bank’s ongoing
On September 9, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Energy Taalaibek Ibrayev visited Japan and met with Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. Following the meeting, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Energy and Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry signed a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at implementing joint projects in the field of green
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has provided 14 sets of off-grid solar power systems to farms, households, schools, and border outposts on the Tajik-Afghan border which had limited or no access to electricity. The beneficiaries of the project were located in Jamoat Sarichashma, Shamsiddin Shohin district, in the Khatlon region of
The chairwoman of Kazakhstan’s Central Commission on Referendums (ORK), Sabila Mustafina, said on September 3 that 15.5 billion tenges (more than $32 million) has been requested for a nationwide referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan next month, RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service reported. The announcement came a day after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the
The Junda oil refinery has re-opened in the city of Kara-Balta, about 100 km west of Bishkek. Zhongda China Petrol Company’s Junda oil refinery resumed operation after a four-year shutdown from February 2020 to March 2024. Late in March this year, the refinery completed a major overhaul and now plans to reach its full annual
Kazakhstan will hold a referendum on whether to build a nuclear power plant on October 6, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced on September 2. Speaking at a meeting of both chambers of parliament with an annual address to the people of Kazakhstan, Tokayev argued the project is needed to diversify energy sources in Kazakhstan, which has abundant oil
On 28 August, the National Leader and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited Iran. He met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and conveyed an invitation from Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to pay an official visit to Turkmenistan. During the talks, the two leaders discussed the current state and prospects
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says it is helping to decarbonise fertiliser production and power generation in Uzbekistan by financing a pilot renewable hydrogen facility. It will consist of a 20 MW electrolyser and a greenfield 52 MW wind power plant. The EBRD is offering a financial package of US$ 65 million (€ 58
The Government of Kazakhstan on August 27 decided to hold a referendum on the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant. An exact date for the nationwide referendum has yet to be determined. The Government session today, chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, considered the prospects for the development of nuclear energy in the
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev earlier this week attended the ceremony to launch the construction of wind power plants in the country’s northwestern region of Karakalpakstan. A wind power plant with a capacity of 1 gigawatts and worth $1.2 billion will be built by the Chinese company Sany Renewable in Karakalpakstan’s Kungrad district. Another wind plant
In the first half of 2024, Kyrgyzstan imported 2.02 billion kWh of electricity, including 909.8 million kWh from Russia and Kazakhstan, 837.5 million kWh from Turkmenistan, and 275.3 million kWh from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Minister of Energy Taalaibek Ibrayev told a press conference in Bishkek earlier this month. In 2023, electricity imports amounted to 3.2 billion
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan has presented the results of the project to reduce the risks of investing in renewable energy technologies. At the final event of the project, which was implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan and with financial support from the Global Environment Facility
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 6 August said it has approved a $21 million grant as additional financing to expand the supply of renewable energy in Tajikistan by further modernizing the Golovnaya hydropower plant. “The electricity from the Golovnaya hydropower plant goes to national and regional grids, benefiting Tajikistan and neighboring countries,” said ADB Director General
Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on July 31 in Ashgabat met with the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar. During the meeting, the Turkmen president said that Turkmenistan is ready to continue cooperation with Türkiye in the energy sector, particularly in the transportation of Turkmen natural gas to Türkiye and on to
