Water Unites

After the delivery of coal and gas from the downstream countries ceased in the
1990s, Kyrgyzstan increased its water discharge in winter to replace them. In addition
to the existing power plants built in the Soviet period, several new ones have been constructed
and more are planned. The biggest ones are Kambarata-1 and Kambarata-2 on
the Naryn River. The 360 MW Kambarata-2 project started in 1986. After independence,
construction slowed as financing dried up. But thanks to a Russian loan, the first unit
began operating in November 2010. The construction of Kambarata-1 is underway in
cooperation with the Russian energy company INTER RAO UES. Its capacity is expected
to reach 1900 MW and it will cost about $2 billion. In addition, there are more than 200
small hydropower plants. Many of them were built in Soviet times, and some were added
after independence with the support of international assistance in order to ensure energy
supply for small and remote villages. 3
3 Antipova et al. 2002, Giese et al. 2004, Sehring 2009, UNECE 2008, WDI.
Transboundary waters in the six states of the Aral Sea
37