Tajikistan is poised to join the unified energy system of Central Asia by the end of May 2024, marking a notable step in regional energy cooperation, Uzbekistan's Energy Minister, Jurabek Mirzamahmudov told Gazeta.uz. Discussions about Tajikistan's return to Central Asia's unified energy system began in late 2021. Although originally planned for 2022, the process has faced several delays.
Established in the 1970s, the Unified Energy System (UES) of Central Asia and Southern Kazakhstan was designed to balance seasonal fluctuations in electricity demand and water needs during the irrigation period. In winter, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan stored water in reservoirs and received electricity and energy resources from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. In summer, they sent water to their neighbours for irrigation and supplied excess electricity.
Tajikistan's Energy and Water Resources Minister, Daler Juma, outlined the plan, stating, "We still plan to prepare the northern part [of Tajikistan's energy system] for connection by the end of this year, but the direct launch of this line will be in April 2024."
After Tajikistan's accession, all countries in the region are expected to benefit. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will no longer face electricity shortages in the autumn-winter period, while Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan will have stable water supply during the irrigation season. Tajikistan will return to winter water storage, meeting its electricity needs with supplies from downstream countries. In summer, it will meet the irrigation water needs of its neighbours with stored winter water.
Hamidulla Shamsiyev, director of the Energy Coordination and Dispatch Centre, noted that the move to a unified energy system is seen as a step towards ensuring reliable parallel operation of Central Asian power systems and expanding cooperation with distant neighbours. It is also expected to facilitate joint use of water and energy resources, benefiting all countries involved.
Mirzamakhmudov highlighted the close cooperation already in place among the Central Asian countries in the energy sector, especially in trade, export, import, and transit of electricity. Tajikistan's integration into the unified energy system will further strengthen this cooperation and create a more stable and efficient energy network in the region.
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