Independent dependence
Kyrgyzstan celebrated in shadows its another anniversary of independence. If there were mass celebrations with songs and dances, culminating in fireworks on central Ala-Too Square in Bishkek, regions residents were left without electricity.
Thousands of Kyrgyzstanis tried to find out the cause of tripping. Of course nobody could try to get emergency services or distribution zone. Usual multi-line telephones were busy or none of the experts wanted to answer the questions from angry subscribers, who had spoiled holiday.
24.kg news agency could find out the causes only today, when the country recovered from the celebrations and cutoff. JSC "Severelectro" stated that there was unplanned outage of 500 kW overhead transmission line in the networks of JSC "National Electric Network" on August 31 at 20.30, as a result there was an automatic load shedding of a number of high-voltage substations.
Short-term power outage affected subscribers of Moskovsky, Alamudun, Kemin districts of Chui province, Kant, Tokmak distribution zones and a part of subscribers in western and eastern areas. "Severelectro" electricity supply subscribers restored from 20.37 till 22.55.
However, perturbed Bishkek resident Kanykei said that electricity in Maldybaev, Akhunbaev, Baitik Baatyr, Suerkulova Streets was supplied only at 00.07. Energy workers continue to assert that subscribers were turned on power supply earlier - at 22.00.
In Osh, the most interesting moment of showing the long-awaited premiere of Kurmanjan Datka film, was interrupted. But Osh residents, who came to the cinema on Independence Day, were not able to appreciate the performance of actors on establishment of independent Kyrgyzstan.
The Deputy General Director of JSC "NESK" Aleksey Borodin told 24.kg news agency that the incident was caused by breakdown in networks of Kazakhstan. As a result, the united energy system of Central Asia got detached to isolated work with underfrequency. "After raising frequency consumers were connected on. Cause of a problem being investigated. The issue will be examined on September 3-4 in Tashkent. Most likely, the accident occurred owing to overload," he noted.
Aleksey Borodin added that electricity capacity in Kyrgyzstan has dropped up to 297 MW. They had to introduce cutoffs of the least important feeders in all spheres.
We are only to guess how energy workers measured "less important feeders". People in all regions, districts, towns and villages are equal. All on equal terms are connected to a network, use electricity, pay bills, but why do some are considered to be important, than others? Why is it the important to maintain electricity for someone and others can have spoiled party, which many were sincerely waiting for?
Speaking to Kyrgyzstanis on Ala-Too Square, the President Almazbek Atambayev paid special attention to energy independence, which the republic hopes to achieve in 2015. Currently, our system operates in parallel with the neighboring countries. The parties help us out, we will help them out on a parity basis. Energy workers believe that even having completed and running high-voltage line 500 kW Datka - Kemin, it is unprofitable for Kyrgyzstan to work in a closed system in the republic. But, according to the head of state, the neighbors are afraid of our energy independence, so they now test us with cutoff of gas and electricity.
"For example, year after year, the authorities went to pay homage to the neighbors for gas or persuade it to open the highway, the road for our citizens, then the railroad for our goods. And in return, again and again there were seemingly minor concessions that eventually led to the stalemate in the border areas. But during these two decades one could have long to build power lines and substations, bypass roads, even get away from gas dependence, - admitted Atambaev. - Why have conflicts on borders increased exactly this year? Why exactly this year we don't have gas? Because those, who did it, understand that in a year or two we will be completely independent of them in energy and transport."
The Head of the KR reminded that Datka substation is already constructed. In November this year we will put into operation Kemin substation. By the winter of next year energy ring will close in Kyrgyzstan. In addition, by the autumn of 2016 it is planned to launch the second hydraulic unit Kambarata-2 and put into operation the first hydroelectric Upper Naryn cascade.
The president's words instantly spread in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring Kazakhstan, which immediately showed that yet we can only dream of separation.
It should be noted that Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan reached an agreement on mutual assistance. When a neighbor needs water for irrigation of agricultural land, we took a chance and increased discharge of water, producing more energy. Kazakhstan began to return electricity since August 16. Neighbors also promised to supply in autumn-winter period additional 500 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, at a time when Kyrgyzstan will expect more difficulties due to low volume of water in Toktogul reservoir. However, neighbors asked for a reprieve due to internal problems.
In accordance with the reached agreement on water discharge was carried out from August 1 till August 15. The parties agreed that instead of the promised 500 million kilowatt-hours Kazakhstan will supply additional 480 million, but not this winter, in August-September of 2014 and March-April 2015.
The recent incident revealed that we shouldn't ahead of time declare full independence when we are totally dependent on partners. We can't work in isolation. We can only agree. Neighborly. Friendly...