He expressed his apologies for the inconveniences caused and noted that the reasons for the energy deficit have deep roots.
According to Orunbekov, Kyrgyzstan continues to rely on hydroelectric power plants built more than half a century ago. Since gaining independence, no new large energy facilities have been constructed in the country, while the population, construction volumes, and electricity consumption have been steadily increasing.
“Power outages create inconveniences for all of us, and I also feel this myself. Therefore, I apologize for the current situation,” he noted.
Daiyrbek Orunbekov added that the energy deficit has occurred before, but at that time the problem was solved through costly electricity imports, which increased the country's external debts.
Since 2021, according to him, specific steps have been taken to enhance Kyrgyzstan's energy independence. In particular, the construction of the Kambar-Ata-1 hydropower plant with a capacity of 1860 megawatts is underway, which will be able to provide the country with electricity and in the future make it an exporter.
In addition, the commissioning of new and modernized hydropower plants is planned for 2024–2025:
• Bala-Saruu HPP — 25 megawatts;
• Kainama HPP — 9.6 megawatts;
• Kok-Art HPP — 6.7 megawatts;
• Kara-Kul HPP — 18 megawatts (to be commissioned in 2025);
• the reconstruction of the Toktogul HPP added 240 megawatts of capacity.
There are also plans to construct small and medium-sized hydropower plants by 2030 with a total capacity of over 500 megawatts.
