Recently, the ministries of energy of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan agreed and signed a roadmap that opens the way to the construction of small hydroelectric power plants on Kyrgyz soil. This step, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy, is intended to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries and unlock the hydropower potential of Kyrgyzstan. However, behind the beautiful words about «cooperation» and «development» lies an alarming reality – any interference in natural ecosystems, especially in the delicate balance of water resources, poses a potential threat.
Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev said that Kazakhstan consistently advocates strengthening regional cooperation in the field of energy, seeing this as the key to stability and prosperity throughout Central Asia, and that the signing of a road map with Kyrgyzstan – is another confirmation of commitment to this course, and Kazakhstan is ready to share experience and resources to build an energy-independent future together. The signing of the document certainly marks a new stage in relations between the two states, but it is worth thinking about at what cost this «energy independence» will be achieved. The roadmap provides for attracting Kazakh investors for the construction of small hydroelectric power stations in Kyrgyzstan. Do not forget that any hydroelectric power station, even a small one, – is a dam that blocks a river, changes its natural regime, affects flora and fauna, and the lives of people whose existence has been connected with this river for centuries.
The construction of hydroelectric power stations, even «small» ones, inevitably entails flooding of territories, changes in the hydrological regime of rivers, and disruption of the migration routes of fish and other aquatic life. Will the pursuit of «energy independence» lead to dependence on technologies that cause irreparable harm to the environment? Will it turn out that «stability and prosperity» will turn into an environmental disaster on a local, and perhaps regional scale? After all, the rivers of Central Asia – are fragile arteries that feed vast areas of life, and any careless intervention in their flow can have unpredictable consequences.
Alexander Eskendirov (Rivers.Help!)
