On February 19, a seminar was held in Bishkek on the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 project. The event, organized by the Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan, brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the World Bank, as well as specialists from the Swiss company AFRY and other international experts. The main objective of the workshop was to assess the current status of the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 project, including feasibility studies and environmental and social impact analysis. However, despite ambitious plans, the project raises serious concerns among environmentalists and local residents, who fear negative consequences for ecosystems and traditional ways of life.
During the event, the Swiss company AFRY, selected to update the feasibility study for the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 project, presented the interim results of its work. Among these were seismic assessment, hydrological studies and other key aspects of the project. The international company responsible for environmental and social impact assessment, SMEC, also reported on its initial studies. In particular, the potential extent of impacts on local communities and ecosystems was reviewed, and a plan for further environmental research, scheduled for this spring, was presented.
The Ministry of Energy of Kyrgyzstan reported that further preparation of the project included the completion of a feasibility study and an environmental impact assessment (EIA). Thereafter, a second round of consultations with stakeholders at the local and national levels is planned in Kyrgyzstan, as well as in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. However, despite assurances of careful consideration of all aspects, many experts express doubts about the sufficiency of measures to minimize environmental damage.
According to the Ministry of Energy, the height of the Kambar-Ata HPP-1 dam will be 256 meters, and the installed capacity of the station will reach 1860 megawatts. It is expected that the hydroelectric power station will produce about 5.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. The construction cost is estimated at $3.6 billion. However, such large-scale projects are always accompanied by risks to the environment, including changes in the hydrological regime of rivers, destruction of natural ecosystems and forced relocation of local residents.
Experts emphasize that when implementing such projects, it is necessary to take into account not only economic benefits, but also long-term consequences for nature and society. Otherwise, the desire for energy independence may result in irreversible losses for the environment and the traditional way of life of local communities.
