ISLAMABAD – For the first time in history, Pakistan to export electricityto two countries in the World.
A new proposal by Pakistani officials could bring much needed energy topeople in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan during the frigid winters in along-planned project that will also see Central Asian energy go toAfghanistan and Pakistan.
A chain of hydropower plants strung across Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are akey part of the Central Asia-South Asia 1000 (CASA-1000) energy projectthat aims to bring some 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Afghanistanand 1,000 MW to Pakistan annually.
Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov *said on a visitlinkthe 1,200 MW Toktogul hydropower plant (HPP) on October 18 that “theeffective implementation of the CASA-1000 project will greatly increase theexport potential of the country to states in South Asia.”
Toktogul has been the *key domestic source of powerlink Kyrgyzstan for more than 40years and, according to Jeenbekov, after its current modernization the HPPwill continue to operate for at least another 40 years.[image: The Toktogul hydroelectric power station in Kyrgyzstan. (filephoto)]The Toktogul hydroelectric power station in Kyrgyzstan. (file photo)
That is not only important for Kyrgyzstan but for the entire CASA-1000project.
As the governments in Bishkek and Dushanbe have anxiously watched theproject develop, they have been looking forward to reaping new revenuesfrom the sale of power to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
But Pakistan has just asked for a change to that equation that wouldbenefit the Tajik and Kyrgyz people during cold months but make CASA-1000 abit less profitable for the state coffers of their countries.
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Waseem Mukhtar, Pakistan’s power division additional secretary, said inSeptember that Islamabad wants CASA-1000 to be an “open access” power line,meaning that Pakistan could export its electricity as well as receive itfrom Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
In comments published by Pakistan’s The News on September 22, Mukhtarclaimed Pakistan now has a surplus of electricity during some months andcould supply Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with electricity during the winterwhen those two countries need it most.
At the same time, Islamabad would import the 1,000 MW annually that itagreed to take during the summer when its needs are greatest.
Looking at CASA-1000 as a regional power project, this announcement appearsto be fantastic news.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have done a lot in the last decade to improvetheir ability to generate and distribute power across their countries inthe winter, Radio Free Europe has reported.
