- Hello, Sadyr Nurgoyevich. We would like to get your comment regarding the recent address by former president Almazbek Atambaev concerning energy issues.
- I do not delve into such addresses. I do not have time to read such nonsense. The press secretary briefly conveyed the content. I did not plan to respond, but since you are here - I will respond so as not to offend you.
Thank you. Atambaev mentioned three issues that you raised during your visit Bishkek–Cairo–Washington–Bishkek.
He noted that it was during his presidency that the energy sector developed.
He also expressed the opinion that the current energy crisis is caused by the uncontrolled operation of mining farms.
The Minister of Energy refuted these statements, calling them untrue and manipulative, providing his arguments.
Nevertheless, the public is certainly interested in your opinion as well.
Are there indeed many mining farms in the country? If possible, please share information about their number and working conditions. Do they make a significant contribution to the economy?
- Many can talk about the state of the energy system, but not Atambaev. If the situation was bad before him, it became catastrophic under him.
We are still recovering from this crisis.
I hope that next year we will completely emerge from this state.
To ensure my words do not seem empty, I will provide specific data. Compare for yourself.
From 1990 to 2010, the Ministry of Energy accumulated a debt of 13.6 billion soms, which is equivalent to 243 million dollars.
From 2010 to 2020, this debt grew to 123 billion soms, or 1 billion 323 million dollars.
Thus, over 10 years, the debt increased by 110 billion soms.
Compare:
- 1990–2010 — the debt amounted to 13.6 billion soms over 20 years;
— 2010–2020 — in just 10 years, the debt increased by 123 billion soms.
By October 2020, the total debt of the Ministry reached 137 billion soms, or 1.5 billion dollars.
This indicates that the energy system was in a deplorable state.
The system was practically on the brink of bankruptcy.
When an energy company takes loans from a bank to pay salaries — what kind of manipulation is that? Even in the most backward countries, this does not happen.
For example, from 2010 to 2020, loans totaling 201 million soms were taken from RSK Bank — questioning the legitimacy to pay salaries to energy sector workers. All documents are in the bank's archives.
Since 2021, we have not taken a single tyiyn in loans to pay salaries.
On the contrary, starting from 2021, we have repaid 112 out of 137 billion soms of debt.
The remaining 25 billion soms will be closed next year.
Until 2020, corruption and schemes for personal gain reigned in the energy system.
We have dismantled all of that.
Now there are no schemes or abuses there.
Therefore, the system is now rapidly getting rid of debts. By 2027, I hope we will start making a profit.
Now about mining.
We have only two mining farms operating, both under my control.
One is located in Kemin, the other at Kambar-Ata-2.
The mining farm "Solarkoin" in Kemin has been operating since 2023 at a capacity of 30 MW.
It fully utilizes electricity imported from Russia through the Kazakh company "KEGOC".
Everything is transparent and open. You can request data from the ministry — there is nothing hidden.
Electricity is not coal or metal; it cannot be "smuggled".
They do not take a single kilowatt from us.
From our border substation "Frunze" at 500 kW to Kemin, they pay 38 tyiyns for the transit of each 1 kW.
To date, only from their transit, 172 million soms have entered the energy system.
They have transferred 22 million soms in taxes to the republican budget.
Jobs have been created.
Thus, they bring benefits to the country from three sides.
Now about mining at Kambar-Ata-2.
And remember: if demagogic politicians start talking about corruption again - do not believe them.
This farm also operates at 30 MW. We ourselves suggested to investors to place it inside the hydropower plant. Why?
When the hydropower plant was built in 2009, its capacity was 120 MW, but new transformers were not installed.
Therefore, the generated energy was supplied to the population through old transformers and lines left over from the 60s.
The throughput of these old lines was only 90 MW, and 30 MW out of 120 MW could not be fed into the grid.
This capacity was simply lost. To avoid wasting 30 MW, we placed mining inside Kambar-Ata.
Since 2009, we have lost 6 billion 816 million kWh - in vain.
In monetary terms, this is a loss of 3 billion 275 million soms.
And for this, all the leaders who worked before 2020 could be held accountable.
Why did no one care for 11 years that the hydropower plant was losing 30 MW?
We paid attention to this.
In December 2023, the companies "MBT-Stroy," OJSC "NESK," and OJSC "Electric Stations" signed a tripartite agreement.
According to this agreement, "Electric Stations" transfers 30 MW of capacity, which was previously lost, to "MBT-Stroy" for transit to consumers.
The total investment volume will be 1 billion 500 million soms.
Additionally, the state has obliged "MBT-Stroy" to carry out the following works:
1) Currently, two transformers with a capacity of 25 MVA are being repaired at "Kambar-Ata".
All parts have already been purchased and are being installed. The total investment amount is 429 million soms.
2) At the Kurpsay HPP, reconstruction is underway with the installation of two new autotransformers with a capacity of 220 kW.
The investment volume is 736 million soms.
The work is ongoing.
3) Updating the overhead power line of 110 kV from Kurpsay HPP to the "Abasbekova" substation, with a length of 35 km.
Work is currently underway.
4) Updating the overhead power line of 110 kV from the "Abasbekova" substation to the "Kambar-Ata-2" HPP, with a length of 57 km.
Work is also underway.
The total length of all reconstructed lines is 92 km. All work will be completed soon.
The investments made in these projects are expected to pay off in about 4 years. After that, the new transformers and lines built along with the mining farm will be transferred to state ownership, that is, to the energy sector. This is stipulated in the contract.
We approach each project carefully and refuse those that may harm the state.
This mining brings significant benefits to the country.
In 4-5 years, both the mining and the new transformers and 92 km of new lines will be transferred to state ownership. (The lines are already owned by the state.)
Therefore, this mining operates not in the interests of individuals, but in the interests of the state and the people.
Some candidates for deputies have begun to use the topic of mining to create hype. I would like to remind you: if you do not understand the essence of the issue — do not interfere.
I have explained in detail above what benefits it brings to the country.
Now, unlike the previous authorities, no one works "for personal gain".
All illegally obtained funds are returned to the state, and the officials themselves are removed from their positions. The people see what is happening. Of course, there are those who prefer not to notice the obvious. But they are very few. And such people have always existed and will always exist. As they say, "Koy aksagy menen ming" (Even a lame sheep increases the herd). We have democracy.
- So now only two mining farms are operating?
Yes. Despite the fact that these two mining farms bring millions to the country, we have suspended their activities.
The Kemin mining farm could have been left, as it uses energy imported from Russia. But we still asked them to temporarily cease operations.
We have a habit: as soon as positive changes begin for the country - demagogic politicians start making noise, and the previous leaders got scared and shut down operations.
Thus, instead of moving forward, the country rolled back.
Why did they shut down? I believe they had personal interests.
What we call "share".
To prevent this "share" from being revealed, they got scared: "Oh, let’s stop, the people found out!" - and everything was stopped.
We are not afraid and will not stop. We have no personal interests. Therefore, any business that benefits the state, we will promote.
As soon as the cold season ends, both mining farms will resume operations.
Currently, there are no illegal mining farms. If hidden mining farms operate somewhere without permission, we identify them and impose fines. Relevant authorities are constantly working on this. If they discover an underground farm - they shut it down immediately.
To those who want to open mining in our country, we say directly: you can only operate in a way that does not involve the state - import electricity yourself.
For now, we cannot provide you with electricity from our own production — it is not enough even for our needs.
When we complete the construction of the "Kambar-Ata-1" HPP, we will seek out mining farms ourselves and invite them.
We will need someone to sell electricity to. Even now, especially in spring and summer, there are times when we look for consumers. And there will come a moment when we will not be able to attract miners, even if we want to.
Right now, my words may seem like a fairy tale to many.
I remembered one story. Twenty years ago, when I proposed to return Kumtor to the state, many laughed and said it was impossible.
But we turned that fairy tale into reality. With God's help, our energy system will also become such a fairy tale that will come to life — and that moment is already close.
Therefore, everything we do, we do so that it will benefit our people in the future. We must think about the fates of future generations.
So that they live in a strong country, free from corruption and crime.
Do not pay attention to those who exaggerate and make noise over any issue.
Remember, when I first came to power, I said:
“I leave political strife behind, I need to raise the state and the living standards of the people. I became the head of the country.
Now for me, everyone is equal: whether they are supporters of Akaev, Bakiyev, Atambaev, Jeenbekov, or others — if a person wants to benefit the Kyrgyz people and the state, I am ready to involve anyone in the work. But I will not allow a single tyiyn to be stolen from the state treasury,” - I stated then.
This is strictly controlled by law enforcement agencies and fiscal authorities.
Sometimes there are noises due to reports of alleged embezzlements, and then we gather all those involved to clarify the situation with my personal participation.
Therefore, we will not allow this.
Remember, 3-4 years ago, when I invited businessman Habibulla to participate in laying the capsule for the construction of a hotel and mosque in Naryn, there was also a strong uproar.
And now construction is actively underway. The mosque is almost ready, Habibulla is building it at his own expense and gifting it to the Kyrgyz people. The total cost is 55 million dollars. The five-star hotel will cost 350 million dollars, and its construction is ongoing. The funds invested in these projects are direct investments from abroad.
The mosque worth 55 million dollars is a gift from Habibulla to the Kyrgyz people.
-- Almazbek Atambaev claimed that during his presidency, the Datka-Kemin power line was built, the Bishkek CHPP was modernized, and the Toktogul HPP was repaired. Did he leave a worthy legacy in this area?
What he said about the Toktogul HPP is a complete lie.
A person who has governed the country for seven years should be ashamed of misleading the people.
The repair of the Toktogul HPP units has been discussed since the time of Askar Akaev. Since its construction in the 1960s, not a single unit has been repaired.
Imagine: 50 years of operation without interruption. Fortunately, the equipment was reliable.
When I came to power, I took this sector under control. All HPPs were in terrible condition. If we had not started replacing generators, a catastrophe would have occurred. Now we are updating everything.
When I first came to power, ministers changed frequently.
I was looking for a competent minister ready for radical reforms. In the end, I invited Talaybek Ibraev. I immediately warned him:
“When carrying out reforms, we will take radical steps. We must pull the system out of the swamp. It does not matter what others will say, I will make you a minister. But if you start acting for personal interests, you will be held accountable.” The results turned out to be positive.
Projects are developing rapidly, almost 100 HPPs are being built in the country, one large CHPP, as well as stations using solar and wind energy. Without bureaucracy.
From 2022 to 2025, the generators of the Toktogul HPP were replaced according to the following schedule:
1st hydro unit - in 2022;
2nd hydro unit - in 2023;
3rd hydro unit - in 2024;
4th hydro unit - will be completed in 2025. It will be put into operation soon.
After updating the generators, the total capacity increased by 240 MW compared to the previous ones. This is a significant figure, and energy specialists will confirm this.
I do not want to boast, but the facts speak for themselves. From 2022 to 2025, we put into operation 28 HPPs with a total capacity of 489 MW.
In 2026-2027, we plan to put another 41 HPPs into operation with a total capacity of 452 MW.
In 2028, when the second unit of Kambar-Ata-2 is operational, this will provide an additional 120 MW.
The capacity of the under-construction Kara-Kechinskaya TPP will be 1200 MW.
When all construction work is completed, we expect that there will be no more electricity shortages in the winter period.
Until then, we urge the population to save electricity in winter. We will never leave people without light. But saving is necessary.
As for the Datka-Kemin power line.
Yes, its construction was necessary. This project was initiated by Atambaev and is a result of his work. It is part of history that cannot be denied.
However, the construction cost twice as much. More than 90 million dollars, by estimates, were stolen from the project. With more thorough checks, the amount may turn out to be even higher.
Now about the Bishkek CHPP.
Everyone knows that for 386 million dollars, a completely new CHPP could have been built. Instead, only 2 out of 24 boilers of the old CHPP were updated.
While in Tajikistan, a completely new CHPP with 14 boilers was built for 349 million dollars. This means there were no embezzlements. Probably, Emomali Rahmon personally controlled the project.
Of these 14 new boilers, 4 provide 400 MW of electricity, the other 10 provide heat. In our case, for 386 million dollars, we updated 2 boilers of the old CHPP that give 300 MW, while the other 22 boilers are rotting.
For clarity, I provided a simple example.
In Tajikistan, a new CHPP with 14 boilers was built for 349 million dollars, while we updated 2 old boilers for 386 million dollars.
In court, it was proven that 111 million dollars were stolen.
That is why Sapar Isakov and Askarbek Shadiev are hiding.
I think the investigation during that period was not conducted thoroughly enough.
Because 275 million dollars could not have been spent on two boilers.
I also cannot fail to mention the Upper Naryn cascade of HPPs. As Beknazarov said: “If I do not say, you will make me speak.”
It all started with a loud scandal and ultimately turned into a catastrophe for us.
“RusHydro” sued us, demanding 37 million dollars.
With interest, this amount has reached 50 million dollars to date.
In 2021, during my first visit to Russia, I spoke with V.V. Putin and informed him that this money was stolen. They were not used for the construction of the HPP, and I asked to forgive this debt. He agreed.
But in 2023, when I visited Russia again, he said: “You must pay this amount, as we won in the international court.” I replied that we would not pay. The reason is that most of the leaders of the company that was supposed to build the HPP were from the Russian side.
Decisions on financing were not made by us.
Our people simply signed documents and received their "shares".
The most important thing — the construction of the HPP never started.
They brought 400–500 containers of 40 tons each and built something like a dormitory. They claim that 37 million dollars were spent on this.
If these containers were actually counted, it would not have cost even 37 thousand dollars.
Since 2023, a bilateral commission has been working on this issue.
But so far, there are no results.
We have various issues with the Russian side that we are trying to resolve through the "offset" system. Perhaps we will be able to exchange these issues, and we are working in this direction. We will see what result will come. In the end, we will get out of this debt.
We would not have lost in the international court if Atambaev had acted wisely and had not denounced the agreement.
In international matters, I repeat, one must act wisely and not succumb to emotions.
If there is not enough experience - consult professional lawyers.
This is not a personal matter to act in anger and simply denounce the agreement.
This is a matter concerning the entire nation. 50 million dollars.
As they say: “Achuu dushman akyl dos” (“Anger is the enemy, and reason is the friend”).
Before denouncing the agreement, claims should have been directed to the Russian side. You did not even fulfill one percent of your obligations under the contract. The term of the contract expired, and work did not start.
Otherwise, before making accusations, one should have received answers to these claims. Only then, perhaps, the denunciation would not have led to a loss in the international court.
I have not said this until now to avoid appearing as a critic.
I previously did not mention the names of former presidents.
Unless I sometimes generalized the mistakes that were in our history.
Now, however, regarding issues related to electricity, mining, and external debt, I will not comment.
We will work calmly and confidently. Our efforts will ultimately bear fruit. Both God and the people will see this.
Since I have already provided extensive reports and information on these issues.
