Central Asia Energy News Digest Issue 18

Date: 1-15 October 2019   

 

Kyrgyzstan

Six people die in coal mines over the weekend

In Russian: https://eadaily.com/en/news/2019/10/07/v-kirgizii-shest-chelovek-pogibli-v-shahtah

The echo of the tragedy: Kyrgyzstan to tighten regulation of coal companies

In Russian: https://eadaily.com/en/news/2019/10/07/eho-tragedii-v-kirgizii-uzhestochat-trebovaniya-k-ugledobyvayushchim-kompaniyam

Video of how illegal coal mines are run in Kyrgyzstan

In Russian: https://rus.azattyk.org/a/Kyrgyzstan-illegal-coal-mine/30204293.html

Delegation from EU and EBRD visits Oshelectro’s smart metering and GIS systems (subscription)

In Russian: www.tazabek.kg/news:1571115?f=cp

PM Abylgaziev calls for review of options for reviving Bishkek’s second CHP plant (subscription)

In Russian: www.tazabek.kg/news:1570785?f=cp 

Poor quality gasoline destroys the health of Kyrgyzstan

In Russian: https://rus.azattyk.org/a/kyrgyzstan-oil-ecology/30213178.html

Coal supply to Bishkek CHP plant. Again corruption?

In Russian: https://www.vb.kg/doc/382144_postavka_yglia_na_tec_bishkeka._opiat_korrypciia.html

All boiler houses in Osh ready for the heating season

In Russian: http://kabar.kg/news/vse-kotel-nye-osha-polnost-iu-gotovy-k-otopitel-nomu-zimnemu-periodu/

It is very important to prevent coal prices from rising in winter - Osh Mayor

In Russian: http://kabar.kg/news/ochen-vazhno-ne-dopuskat-rosta-tcen-na-ugol-v-zimnii-period-mer-osha/

New system to block dust release from coal installed at Bishkek CHP plant

In Russian: https://kaktus.media/doc/399121_na_tec_bishkeka_ystanovili_novyu_sistemy._ona_blokiryet_pyl_ot_yglia_i_ylychshaet_ekologiu.html 

 

 

Uzbekistan

Uzbekneftegaz and SOCAR to consider joint oil production in the Caspian

In Russian: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2019/10/15/socar/

Uzbekistan announces winner for first solar PV tender

In Russian: https://mift.uz/ru/news/v-uzbekistane-objavlen-pobeditel-pervogo-v-strane-tendera-po-opredeleniju-investora-na-stroitelstvo-fotoelektricheskoj-stantsii

Uzbekneftegaz eyes to up exports by SOCAR Trading

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=157317&cat=oil_and_gas

Bukhara introduces innovative technologies in the power industry

In Russian: http://www.uzdaily.com/ru/post/46759

Over US$ 44 million lost for heating Tashkent annually

In Russian: https://podrobno.uz/cat/economic/ezhegodno-svyshe-44-millionov-dollarov-/ 

Uzbekistan tests Belarusian Vitovt electric bus

In Russian: http://kabar.kg/news/uzbekistan-protestiroval-i-prinial-v-ekspluatatciiu-belorusskii-elektrobus-vitovt/

ADB allocates funds for HPPs construction in Uzbekistan

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=157007&cat=region

IAEA discusses Uzbekistan's nuclear energy program

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156958&cat=region

Underground oil refinery discovered in Ferghana region

in Russian: https://fergana.agency/news/111612/

Strategy for the transition to Green Economy approved

In Russian: https://www.uzdaily.uz/ru/post/46626 

Renewable energy development will not lead to higher prices - Ministry of Energy

In Russian: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2019/10/07/energy/ 

Turkey-Japan joint project in Uzbekistan to save up to 500 million cubic meters of gas

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156907&cat=region 

EBRD plans to boost green energy financing in Uzbekistan

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156902&cat=region

Uzbeknefteqaz Board Chairman: SOCAR provides a lot of technical support for us

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156846&cat=oil_and_gas

IFC to help Uzbekistan find money for a power plant in Sirdaryo region

In Russian: https://fergana.agency/news/111297/

Uzbekistan plans to double hydropower plant's capacity

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156768&cat=region

Four reactors instead of two: Uzbekistan to increase capacity of planned nuclear power plant

In Russian: https://eurasia.expert/uzbekistan-uvelichit-moshchnost-novoy-aes/ 

Uzbekistan chooses nuclear energy (le Figaro)

In Russian: https://inosmi.ru/economic/20191007/245965774.html 

Ministry of Energy reports that Uzbekistan uses hydraulic fracturing for gas production

In Russian: https://podrobno.uz/cat/economic/minenergo-zayavilo-chto-v-uzbekistane-ispolzuyut-/

Gas supplying enterprises receive 188 billion soums (US$ 19.9 million) after raising tariffs illegally

In Russian: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2019/10/07/gas-companies/

Uzbeks consume the least amount of electricity per capita in the CIS after Kyrgyzstan

In Russian: https://nuz.uz/ekonomika-i-finansy/43863-uzbekistancy-potreblyayut-menshe-vseh-elektroenergii-v-sng-posle-kyrgyzstana.html 

Uzbekistan plans to set higher electricity tariff for cryptocurrency mining companies

In Russian: http://uzdaily.uz/ru/post/46524 

ADB to support the construction of several hydropower plants in Qashqadaryo region

In Russian: https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2019/10/02/ges/

Shell to build gas processing plant with a capacity of 5 billion cubic meters per year

In Russian: https://fergana.agency/news/111596/

 

 

Tajikistan

IMF praises Tajikistan for raising electricity tariffs

In Russian: https://fergana.agency/news/111554/

More than 3.9 billion kWh generated at Dushanbe TPP-2 since 2014

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/14/bolee-3-9-mlrd-kvt-ch-elektroenergii-vyrabotala-dushanbinskaya-tets-2-s-2014-goda/

Slightly more than half of boiler houses in Tajikistan ready for work in the winter

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/11/v-tadzhikistane-k-rabote-v-zimnij-period-gotovy-chut-bolee-poloviny-kotelnyh/

Tajik electricity exports drop sharply due to attack on transmission line in Afghanistan

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/10/eksport-tadzhikskoj-elektroenergii-rezko-snizilsya-iz-za-podryva-opory-lep-v-afganistane/

Dushanbe thermal power plants are ready for the heating season

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/07/dushanbinskie-tets-gotovy-k-rabote-v-osenne-zimnij-sezon/

President tells Al Jazeera about the importance of energy, Rogun HPP and CASA-1000

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/04/prezident-rasskazal-al-dzhazira-o-znachimosti-energetiki-rogunskoj-ges-i-proekta-casa-1000/

Sangtuda-1 inspected for cold season readiness

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/01/sangtudinskuyu-ges-1-proverili-na-gotovnost-k-rabote-v-osenne-zimnij-period/

 

 

Kazakhstan

Nur-Sultan’s CHP plants to connect to gas network in summer 2020

In Russian: https://kursiv.kz/news/otraslevye-temy/2019-10/stolichnye-tec-podklyuchat-k-gazu-letom-2020-goda 

Mayor Kulginov speaks about how gasification of the capital will reduce emissions

In Russian: https://kursiv.kz/news/otraslevye-temy/2019-10/kulginov-rasskazal-o-sokraschenii-vybrosov-s-gazifikaciey-stolicy 

Saryarka gas pipeline reaches Nur-Sultan. What's next?

In Russian: https://kapital.kz/economic/81861/gazoprovod-saryarka-doshel-do-nur-sultana-chto-dalshe.html

Kazakh gasoline and diesel fuel production up by 13% and 9% respectively

In Russian: http://www.energyprom.kz/ru/a/monitoring/obyomy-proizvodstva-benzina-i-dizelnogo-topliva-za-god-vyrosli-na-13-i-9-sootvetstvenno 

Samruk-Kazyna to buy half of Ekibastuz state district power station-2 before end of the year

In Russian: https://kursiv.kz/news/kompanii/2019-10/samruk-kazyna-vykupit-polovinu-ekibastuzskoy-gres-2-do-konca-goda

Bioethanol production to start in North Kazakhstan

In Russian: https://forbes.kz/news/2019/10/07/newsid_209772

New solar park to be built in Turkestan region

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156886&cat=region

Kazakhstan's top renewable energy producing regions named

In English: https://www.azernews.az/news.php?news_id=156727&cat=region

Transportation of Kazakh oil through the BTC pipeline may become possible in the future - Minister of Energy

In Russian: https://www.trend.az/business/energy/3130683.html

Electricity tariffs increase in three regions of Kazakhstan

In Russian: https://www.korem.kz/rus/press-centr/novosti_otrasli/?cid=0&rid=8655

Are thermal power plants in the capital ready to switch to gas?

In Russian: https://www.inform.kz/en/naskol-ko-stolichnye-tec-gotovy-k-perehodu-na-gaz_a3574420 

Karachaganak field resumes operation after major repairs

In Russian: https://www.trend.az/business/energy/3132925.html

Kashgan production to increase by 500 thousand barrels 

In Russian: https://www.inform.kz/ru/do-500-tysyach-barreley-hotyat-uvelichit-proizvoditel-nost-dobychi-na-kashagane_a3571425

Kazakhstan offered to increase use of actions for the sale of LPG

In Russian: https://kursiv.kz/news/ekonomika/2019-10/uvelichit-dolyu-prodazhi-szhizhennogo-gaza-na-birzhakh-predlozhili-v

Coal scuffle between Russia and Kazakhstan

In Russian: https://eenergy.media/2019/10/14/mezhdu-rossiej-i-kazahstanom-obostrilsya-ugol/

How much money is needed for the gasification of Nur-Sultan?

In Russian: https://eenergy.media/2019/10/08/skolko-sredstv-potrebuetsya-dlya-gazifikatsii-nur-sultana/

Gas price in Kazakhstan to increase five times after removal of regulations - monopolists

In Russian: https://eenergy.media/2019/10/08/gaz-v-kazahstane-podorozhaet-v-pyat-raz-posle-otkaza-ot-regulirovaniya-monopolisty/

Karaganda to become pioneer in green bonds

In Russian: https://www.inform.kz/ru/karaganda-mozhet-stat-odnim-iz-pervyh-regionov-po-vypusku-zelenyh-obligaciy_a3571596

Cost of electric buses purchased for the capital announced

In Russian: https://www.inform.kz/ru/nazvana-stoimost-priobretaemyh-dlya-stolicy-elektroavtobusov_a3571653

 

 

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan and Pakistan to negotiate TAPI gas pipeline project

In Russian: https://www.trend.az/business/energy/3132716.html

UAE and Afghanistan buy liquefied gas in Turkmenistan

In Russian: https://www.trend.az/business/energy/3132618.html

Naip field completes modernization of gas processing unit

In Russian: http://turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=19650

Turkmenistan’s mainline to China

In English: https://eurasianet.org/turkmenistans-mainline-to-china 

Ukrainian Naftogaz is interested in receiving Turkmen gas from independent producers

In Russian: https://rus.azathabar.com/a/30199466.html

Ukrainian Naftogaz calls on Gazprom to unblock access to Turkmen gas

In Russian: https://orient.tm/naftogaz-trebuet-ot-gazproma-razblokirovat-dostup-k-turkmenskomu-gazu/

Afghanistan looking for US$ 12 billion in investments for TAPI promised previously by Ashgabat 

In Russian: https://www.hronikatm.com/2019/10/suitcase-without-handle/

 

 

Other regional news

CASA-1000 project: are clouds gathering?

In Russian: http://avesta.tj/2019/10/04/proekt-casa-1000-tuchi-sgushhayutsya/

EDB intends to finance US$ 600 million of renewable energy projects 

In Russian: https://kapital.kz/economic/81847/eabr-nameren-profinansirovat-proekty-vie-na-600-mln.html

Energy Charter Secretariat publishes Energy Investment Risk Assessment 2019

In English: https://energycharter.org/media/news/article/energy-charter-secretariat-publishes-energy-investment-risk-assessment-2019/?tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&cHash=605830d3187303e0c660ba6b3561d8b5

EAEU countries identify principles for harmonizing gas policies

In Russian: https://rg.ru/2019/10/02/strany-eaes-opredelili-principy-garmonizacii-zakonodatelstv.html 

 

 

Analysis

Kazakhstan oil and gas industry: circumstances are not a hindrance

In Russian: https://kapital.kz/economic/81656/kazahstanskaya-neftegazovaya-otrasl-obstoyatelstva-ne-pomeha.html 

Energy Investment Risk Assessment - Country profile Kazakhstan 

In English: https://eira.energycharter.org/country-profiles/13-countries/35-kazakhstan.html

Energy Investment Risk Assessment - Country profile Kyrgyzstan

In English: https://eira.energycharter.org/country-profiles/13-countries/34-kyrgyzstan.html

Energy Investment Risk Assessment - Country profile Uzbekistan

In English: https://eira.energycharter.org/country-profiles/13-countries/18-uzbekistan.html 

 

 

Events

Oil and Gas Turkmenistan Exhibition - 22-24 October 2019, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Website: http://www.turkmenoilgas.com/ 

Power Uzbekistan - 13-15 May 2020, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Website: http://power-uzbekistan.uz/