Prime-Minister of Kyrgyzstan Zhantoro Satybaldiyev. ©primeminister.kz
Kazakhstan has expressed interest in participation in construction of Kambar-Ata Hydro Power Station No.1 on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, Tengrinews reports citing Kyrgyzstan Prime-Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev. “Kazakhstan partners have expressed readiness to take part in construction of Kambar-Ata Hydro Power Station No.1. We consider it as a positive solution to our problem. Kyrgyzstan will not share its 50 percent in construction of the power plant with anyone. The remaining 50 percent may be distributed among other participants of the project,” Satybaldiyev said. Initially an agreement on construction of Kambar-Ata Hydro Power Station No.1 was signed with Russia in 2008, when President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was still in power. Back then Kyrgyzstan did not fulfill its obligations and Russia stopped funding the project. A new agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Russia was signed in October 2012. It was decided that other interested countries may take part in construction and share the Russia's 50-percent stake in the new joint venture. Russia has recently declared its readiness to provide full financing of the project. Kazakhstan is considering participation in the project and Uzbekistan is opposing construction of the power plant. The Naryn River that is going to be barred by a 260 meter dam if the new power plant is constructed is one of rivers that is the source (in confluence of the Karadarya River) of the Syrdarya River that flows through Kazakhstan into the Aral Sea. The latter river is an important source of water and electric power for all four Central Asian countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. So there is an opinion that construction of the new dam can harm the water supply in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan insists that the construction has to get a prior approval from an independent expert council led by the UN.
Kazakhstan has expressed interest in participation in construction of Kambar-Ata Hydro Power Station No.1 on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, Tengrinews reports citing Kyrgyzstan Prime-Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev.
“Kazakhstan partners have expressed readiness to take part in construction of Kambar-Ata Hydro Power Station No.1. We consider it as a positive solution to our problem. Kyrgyzstan will not share its 50 percent in construction of the power plant with anyone. The remaining 50 percent may be distributed among other participants of the project,” Satybaldiyev said.
Initially an agreement on construction of Kambar-Ata Hydro Power Station No.1 was signed with Russia in 2008, when President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was still in power. Back then Kyrgyzstan did not fulfill its obligations and Russia stopped funding the project. A new agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Russia was signed in October 2012. It was decided that other interested countries may take part in construction and share the Russia's 50-percent stake in the new joint venture. Russia has recently declared its readiness to provide full financing of the project. Kazakhstan is considering participation in the project and Uzbekistan is opposing construction of the power plant.
The Naryn River that is going to be barred by a 260 meter dam if the new power plant is constructed is one of rivers that is the source (in confluence of the Karadarya River) of the Syrdarya River that flows through Kazakhstan into the Aral Sea. The latter river is an important source of water and electric power for all four Central Asian countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
So there is an opinion that construction of the new dam can harm the water supply in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan insists that the construction has to get a prior approval from an independent expert council led by the UN.