11 August 2010
CENTRAL ASIA – UNICON shortlisted for Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded regional technical assistance on CAREC Power Sector Regional Master Plan.
The Central Asian Republics (CARs) of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan enjoy abundant energy resources. However, the resources are not distributed evenly, with Kazakhstan having large oil and coal reserves, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan sizeable gas reserves, and the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan significant hydropower resources. This uneven distribution of resources means that regional cooperation is advantageous, as each country can import and export the most appropriate energy form at the appropriate time to mutual advantage.
Since 1990, the CARs have largely pursued energy self-sufficiency, with regional electric trade plunging from 25 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 1990 to 4 GWh in 2008. This has resulted in occasional summer spillage in Tajikistan due to water storage limitations and winter energy deficits in Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. Low precipitation has caused winter energy deficits to be more pronounced in recent years, especially in 2007 and 2008. That hydropower is required mainly in the winter and irrigation mainly in summer poses difficulties for optimum reservoir management and exchange of hydropower with fossil fuel power. The result is that some countries generate electricity using fossil fuels rather than import from neighboring countries with surplus electricity generated from renewable resources.
Today, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Uzbekistan continue to operate an interconnected power system with system operation and planning managed by the Coordinating Dispatch Center (CDC) in Tashkent. Turkmenistan withdrew from the interconnected system in 2003, but continues to export to CARs from islanded power plants. Afghanistan is in the process of joining the system and wishes to meet a portion of its demand with imports from CARs. Currently, Tajikistan is disconnected from the system and operates in island mode. Trade is generally conducted bilaterally and is restricted by transmission constraints, low generation capacity, and seasonal variation in demand.
The projects identified under the master plan will increase energy security, energy efficiency and trade by optimizing integrated transmission and generation expansion between Afghanistan and the four CARs of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The study will address export opportunities from the five countries to neighboring regions. The master plan will study the integrated development of the regional power system and identify long-term solutions to balancing demand and supply, taking into account current assets, demand projections, and trade opportunities. The study will address policy measures to promote security and efficiency. It will also analyze technical requirements for connecting Afghanistan with CAPS.
