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

The Task Force on Regional Electricity Cooperation, involving the representatives of the Central Asian and selected South Asian economies, met again in Dushanbe on 23 April 2008 to discuss the promotion of regional electricity trade and to share knowledge on sector reform and on the creation of national and regional electricity markets. The meeting was jointly organised by the Energy Charter Secretariat and the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Tajikistan. It followed a Special Workshop on Regional Cooperation in Water Management in Central Asia, organised by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Management of Tajikistan on the preceding day.

The meeting in Dushanbe was the third gathering of the Task Force on Regional Electricity Cooperation, established by the Bishkek Declaration during its initial meeting in Bishkek, April 2007, and emphasised further by the Kabul declaration issued during its meeting in Kabul, November 2007. Representatives of the Central Asian states, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to use the Energy Charter as a framework to intensify and develop cross-border electricity trade and employ it as a platform to explore and utilise opportunities for expanding cross-border energy trade in the region.

During the meeting in Dushanbe, delegations discussed best international practices in cross-border electricity trade, electricity markets, and the governance of hydro-power regimes. They also discussed their interests and specific requirements for developing model agreements for cross-border electricity interconnections.

The Dushanbe Declaration, agreed by the delegations of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan, has recognised the need to continue the work of adapting the Secretariat's Model Agreements for Oil and Gas for electricity interconnections, and it has recommended further elaboration on operational agreements for a sustainable and secure regional power trade based on the principles of the Energy Charter Treaty. The delegations stated that they will continue using this Task Force as a forum to discuss regional power cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and with South Asia, including technical, regulatory and legal aspects related to electricity generation, transmission and trade. They accepted the invitation of the Government of Uzbekistan to organise the next meeting of the Task Force in Tashkent in autumn 2008.

Programme and Presentations

Welcome speeches and opening remarks

Mr. Pulod Mukhiddinov, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan

Introduction to the workshop

Mr. Ralf Dickel, Director of Trade, Transit and Relation with Non-signatories, Energy Charter Secretariat

Session 1. Cross-border Electricity Trade

Formation of CIS Member States' Common Electricity Market
by Mr. Eugeniy Mishuk, Chairman of the CIS Electric Power Council

Regional Energy Cooperation - South Asia and Other Regions
by Mr. John Hammond, Programme Manager, US Energy Association

Indian Electricity Sector Reform
by Mr. Durga N. Raina, CEO ENTECSOL International

Session 2. Hydro Regimes

Governance of Hydro Regimes
by Mr. Anatoliy Kholmatov, Technical Director, International Fund for the Aral Sea

Governance of Hydro Regimes
by Mr. Medetbek Aitkulov, Deputy Director General, National Electric Grids, Kyrgyz Republic

Session 3. Model Agreements for Cross-border Energy Projects

Model Agreements for Cross-border Energy Projects
by Mr. Graham Coop, General Counsel and Ms. Clarisse Ribeiro, Legal Counsel, Energy Charter Secretariat

Specific Interests/Requirements of Participating Countries

Power Interconnections
by Mr. Qazi Naeem-u-Ddin, Advisor on Regional Power Trade (PEPCO), Ministry of Water and Power, Pakistan

Power Sector Overviews

Overview of the Power Sector Status of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
by Mrs. Zia Gul, Planning Director, Ministry of Energy and Water, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Overview of the Power Sector of Kyrgyzstan
by Mr. Medetbek Aitkulov, Deputy Director General, National Electric Grids, Kyrgyz Republic

Overview of the Power Sector of Pakistan
by Mr. Qazi Naeem-u-Ddin, Advisor on Regional Power Trade (PEPCO), Ministry of Water and Power, Pakistan

Overview of the Power Sector of Tajikistan
by Mr. Rashid Gulov, Deputy Chief Engineer, OJSHC "Barki Tojik", Republic of Tajikistan

Session 4. Concluding Remarks and Way Forward

Panel discussion chaired by Mr. Ralf Dickel, Director of Trade, Transit and Relation with Non-signatories, Energy Charter Secretariat