Ninth Task Force meeting on regional electricity cooperation in Central and South Asia

The 9th meeting of the Task Force on Regional Energy Cooperation in Central and South Asia was organised by the Energy Charter Secretariat together with the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan and the Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company KEGOC on 7 October 2013 in Astana. The meeting was attended by over thirty participants from Austria, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Regional organisations such as the CIS Power Council, Coordination Dispatch Centre (CDC) Energiya and the South Asian Association on Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Energy Centre were also represented at the meeting.

The meeting focused on the pricing of electricity transit, clean coal technology and sustainable energy. The Energy Charter Secretariat and CDC Energiya presented a draft study on the pricing of electricity transit developed under the Secretariat's Fellowship Programme. The speaker from Vattenfall Europe shared his company’s experience with clean coal technologies, including carbon capture and storage, as well as other technologies aimed at minimising the energy industry's harmful environmental effects.

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented its 'Energy+' international energy and climate initiative launched in support of the UN Initiative 'Sustainable Energy for All'. The Energy+ initiative aims to ensure access to sustainable energy for all and limit greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewables and energy efficiency. Country presentations made by delegates provided up-to-date information on their governments' energy efficiency and renewable policies, programmes and projects. Speakers from India and the SAARC Energy Centre stressed the importance of regional energy cooperation between the Central and South Asia regions.

At the close of the event, delegates adopted a Declaration paving the way for future cooperation within the Task Force in various fields of interest to the region.

Meeting Presentations

Welcome Speeches and Opening Remarks

Mr. Sergei Katyshev on behalf of Mr. Bakhytzhan Dzhaksaliyev
Vice-Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Kazakhstan

H.E. Mr. Ole Johan Bjørnøy
Ambassador of Norway to Kazakhstan

Amb. Urban Rusnák
Secretary General, Energy Charter Secretariat

Session 1. Electricity Transit Issues in Central Asia

Mr. Khamidulla Shamsiev (in Russian)
MDirector, CDC "Energiya"

Mr. Ronald Rost (in English)
Head of Department, Vattenfall Europe

Session 2. Sustainable Energy for All

Amb. Olav Berstad (in Russian)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway

Ms. Sarin Abado (in English)
CEER/E-Control Austria

Mr. Durga Nath Raina (in English)
Entecsol India

Mr. Askerbek Kuanyshbaev (in Russian)
KEGOC JSC

Mr. Elmar Dyikanov (in Russian)
Ministry of Energy and Industry, Kyrgyzstan

Mr. Batsaikhan Lundaajantsan
Ministry of Energy, Mongolia

Mr. Hilal A. Raza (in English)
SAARC Energy Centre

Mr. Farkhod Bilolov (in English)
Ministry of Energy and Industry, Tajikistan

Mr. Rizo Ostonov (in Russian)
Uzbekenergo

Concluding Session

Adoption of the Declaration and Concluding Remarks