Central Asia’s Power Grid Faces A Major Test As Winter Approaches |

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Eurasianet is an independent news organization that covers news from and about the South Caucasus and Central Asia, providing on-the-ground reporting and critical perspectives on…

Concern is rising in Central Asia about the region’s ability to generate sufficient heat and electricity during the upcoming winter season. Worries are perhaps greatest at present in Kyrgyzstan, where demand has surged in recent weeks due to the early onset of cold weather.

An October 29 report published by the 24.kg news agency highlighted that Central Asia’s power grid is fragile, at risk of breaking down in winter. It cited a Eurasian Development Bank study of the grid’s performance in 2024 that showed it was frequently overloaded, forced to sustain loads that “reached 105–123 percent of the permissible values.”

“Among the problematic areas identified were interstate energy links between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as other large sections of the region's energy system,” according to the 24.kg analysis.

The EDB study itself states that “the region’s central constraint is not installed capacity, but the availability, flexibility, and deliverability of capacity in critical hours. Fuel and hydrological constraints, offline thermal units, and grid bottlenecks mean that part of the nameplate capacity is unavailable precisely when the system needs it most.”

Kyrgyz officials are taking early action to head off potential problems. Kyrgyz Energy Minister Altynbek Rysbekov met with his Uzbek counterpart, Sherzod Khodjaev in Tashkent on October 28, discussing ways to maintain stable electricity supplies during the upcoming cold season. No specific measures were announced.

Acknowledging Kyrgyzstan’s troubles with providing sufficient electricity supplies in winter, President Sadyr Japarov has announced that his administration will not issue any new licenses for power-intensive crypto mining operations until the country’s generating capacity improves.

“We can only give permission once our large hydroelectric power plants are built and we cover our own needs,” Japarov said in an interview published by Super.kg. “Ultimately, mining farms generate a lot of taxes. But we can't give permission yet because we don't have enough energy.”

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