An incident occurred at the thermal power plant in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek Thermal Powers' press service reports. The event resulted in injuries to five operators who were checking boiler equipment. As per the medical reports, four employees were taken to the hospital with burns of varying severity, while another was treated for smoke inhalation.
Response and Impact
The cause of the incident has not yet been established. The head of Bishkek, Aibek Dzhunushaliev, arrived at the thermal power plant, and rescue operations are currently underway. The incident has led to a cessation of heat and light supply in some areas of the city, as reported by residents of Bishkek on social networks.
In response to the incident, the Bishkek mayor’s office ordered all schools and kindergartens in the city to switch to remote mode. This decision underscores the severity of the situation and the potential risks posed by the incident.
Possible Causes and Investigation
Boobek Azhikeev, the head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan, named possible causes of the accident at the Bishkek thermal power plant. On behalf of Kamchybek Tashiev, the head of the State Committee for National Security, the possibility of sabotage is being considered.
In addition to potential sabotage, technical issues are also being considered as a possible cause of the incident. Prior to the incident, there were several claps heard at 3:00am (GMT+6), which could indicate a technogenic component to the incident.
Bishkek’s Power Infrastructure
The Bishkek Thermal Power Plant (TPP), one of Kyrgyzstan’s most powerful electricity-generating facilities, faced failure resulting in the accident. The TPP has a capacity of 812MW and is a significant part of Kyrgyzstan’s power infrastructure. The country’s electricity generation capacity was 3.9GW in 2018, with hydropower plants representing 78% of total generating capacity.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep current on world news.