Kyrgyz Warn Neighbours of Possible Water Shortage
Kyrgyz Warn Neighbours of Possible Water Shortage
The monopoly power station company in Kyrgyzstan has warned that it might not be able to supply all the water that neighbouring countries need next year. a situation NBCentralAsia observers say highlights the need for a long-term regional water and energy strategy.
On June 19, Elektricheskie Stantsii, whose hydroelectric dams regulate the water flowing downstream, said Kyrgyzstan would not be able to guarantee that Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Tajikistan would get the volumes of water they have requested for 2008. The reason given was the lack of progress on water and energy use of the Syr Darya, one of Central Asia’s two great rivers which flows through Tajik, Uzbek and Kazak territory, and its major tributary the Naryn in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan needs energy over the winter, so that is the time it needs to let water out of the dams to run the hydroelectric turbines. This is at odds with the needs of the countries downstream, which would like the water to be dammed up over the winter and released in summer to irrigate the fields.
Every year, Kyrgyzstan signs an agreement with its three neighbours to let out more water over the summer. The deal is that the consequent electricity shortfall over the winter will be met by the country’s conventional power stations, running on coal, gas and oil is provided by Uzbekistan and Kazakstan.
Natalia Orlova, a spokesperson Elektricheskie Stantsii, told NBCentralAsia that the latest such deal was due to be signed on June 15, but the other countries sent representatives who did not have the authority to sign the agreement.
Orlova said the Kyrgyz power company was obliged to issue the warning because if no arrangements are put in place, there is a danger of a shortfall in water supplies given the drought conditions this year, which may carry on into 2008.
Zamirbek Esenamanov, who chairs the parliamentary committee for industrial development, explained that the current concerns stem from the water levels at the Toktogul reservoir, Kyrgyzstan’s largest. Toktogul should hold 19 billion cubic metres of water, but at present it has only slightly over 10 billion.
Esenamanov believes Kyrgyzstan’s government should “defend its own interests” and conduct the negotiations itself, rather than leaving it up to the electricity firm.
Sergey Slepchenko, an expert from the Perspektiva think tank, says Elektricheskie Stantsii must act on the basis of economic pragmatism.
“If there are no inter-government agreements or contracts to regulate the water flow, they [the company] must look after its own needs,” he said. “And that means accumulating water over the summer and draining it off in the winter.
However, Orlova believes a long-term coordinated policy governing efficient use of water and energy in the Naryn-Syr Darya basin would be a better alternative to annual treaties. This policy should set out arrangements for ensuring that Kyrgyzstan’s conventional power stations get adequate fuel.
Muratbek Imanaliev, president of the Institute for Public Policy in Kyrgyzstan, says the country could reach an understanding with its neighbours on water issues, as long as each country articulates its interests clearly.
“Their interests should be clearly set out, and also their [negotiating] positions based on those interests. These interests should be defended strongly, but the technical aspects should be left flexible enough to achieve success,” he said.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
On June 19, Elektricheskie Stantsii, whose hydroelectric dams regulate the water flowing downstream, said Kyrgyzstan would not be able to guarantee that Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Tajikistan would get the volumes of water they have requested for 2008. The reason given was the lack of progress on water and energy use of the Syr Darya, one of Central Asia’s two great rivers which flows through Tajik, Uzbek and Kazak territory, and its major tributary the Naryn in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan needs energy over the winter, so that is the time it needs to let water out of the dams to run the hydroelectric turbines. This is at odds with the needs of the countries downstream, which would like the water to be dammed up over the winter and released in summer to irrigate the fields.
Every year, Kyrgyzstan signs an agreement with its three neighbours to let out more water over the summer. The deal is that the consequent electricity shortfall over the winter will be met by the country’s conventional power stations, running on coal, gas and oil is provided by Uzbekistan and Kazakstan.
Natalia Orlova, a spokesperson Elektricheskie Stantsii, told NBCentralAsia that the latest such deal was due to be signed on June 15, but the other countries sent representatives who did not have the authority to sign the agreement.
Orlova said the Kyrgyz power company was obliged to issue the warning because if no arrangements are put in place, there is a danger of a shortfall in water supplies given the drought conditions this year, which may carry on into 2008.
Zamirbek Esenamanov, who chairs the parliamentary committee for industrial development, explained that the current concerns stem from the water levels at the Toktogul reservoir, Kyrgyzstan’s largest. Toktogul should hold 19 billion cubic metres of water, but at present it has only slightly over 10 billion.
Esenamanov believes Kyrgyzstan’s government should “defend its own interests” and conduct the negotiations itself, rather than leaving it up to the electricity firm.
Sergey Slepchenko, an expert from the Perspektiva think tank, says Elektricheskie Stantsii must act on the basis of economic pragmatism.
“If there are no inter-government agreements or contracts to regulate the water flow, they [the company] must look after its own needs,” he said. “And that means accumulating water over the summer and draining it off in the winter.
However, Orlova believes a long-term coordinated policy governing efficient use of water and energy in the Naryn-Syr Darya basin would be a better alternative to annual treaties. This policy should set out arrangements for ensuring that Kyrgyzstan’s conventional power stations get adequate fuel.
Muratbek Imanaliev, president of the Institute for Public Policy in Kyrgyzstan, says the country could reach an understanding with its neighbours on water issues, as long as each country articulates its interests clearly.
“Their interests should be clearly set out, and also their [negotiating] positions based on those interests. These interests should be defended strongly, but the technical aspects should be left flexible enough to achieve success,” he said.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
