Christian Parenti’s Tropic of Chaos speaks on developing countries and their struggle with climate change; how it can affect their natural and social environment. The book’s chapter on Kyrgyzstan stresses the fact that the country as a whole is “almost totally dependant on hydroelectric power” (83). The droughts coming from the warming of the world have held a significant impact, “crippl[ing] Kyrgyzstan’s power plants, thus its whole economy” (83). I write this blog post to offer new information about Kyrgyzstan and its status concerning hydroelectric power more than ten years after the publishing of Tropic of Chaos.
In a much more recent post by “Radio Free Europe,” it is made obvious that the issues thought about years ago still remain prevalent today. The fluctuation between too much water and too little water leaves the country in an almost critical state. Kyrgyzstan’s main hydropower plant, the Toktogul HPP, which took around fifteen years to create and fill with water, has suffered several problems since it was created in 1975. Radio Free Europe explains that “even today [the hydropower plant] is only being used at 10% of its capability.” (Pannier).
Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kurpsai_dam_July_2012.jpg
According to Radio Free Europe, the Toktogul HPP provides 40% of the country’s electricity, though the water levels have been diminishing over many years. It seems quite possible that Kyrgyzstan faces complete collapse if a solution is not carried out soon.
Another web article from 2012 stated that the Kyrgyz Republic received a forty million dollar grant from The Asain Development Bank, as well as a fifteen million dollar loan to help finance the “$62 million Power Sector Rehabilitation Project” (Care C Program). This project was no short process, with an update in 2020 stating that Kyrgyzstan was “consulting [with] engineering firms to assist with the third phase of the rehabilitation.” The third phase of the project “aims to replace the two remaining turbine-generator units and associated auxiliary systems” (The International Journal on Hydropower and Dams). This means that they are mostly restoring old equipment, allowing what little water they have to go to use in a more proper manner.
Credit: https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/asian-development-bank
The ADB released a “completion report” in June of 2021, without much of an update on their website. It seems as if the hydropower plant is getting the help it needs structurally, though the issue of drought is still prevalent as climate change becomes more and more serious.
Links:
https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-hydropower-reduction/31205779.html
https://www.carecprogram.org/?feature=kyrgyz-republics-power-sector-rehabilitation-project
https://www.hydropower-dams.com/news/project-management-consultant-sought-for-kyrgyzstans-toktogul-rehabilitation-phase-3/
https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/kgz-44198-013-pcr
This article really made me ponder how do you resolve a state that is plagued by droughts but is dependent mostly upon hydroelectric energy?
ReplyDeleteI imagine a hydro electric dam at only 10% capacity has other implications and consequences that people may be aware of but believe nothing can be done. I just hope enough money is going towards upkeep of the damn too make sure it doesn't fail and flood the valley.
ReplyDeleteHi Sophie,
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting topic, if a country relies on hydropower but their water levels are unreliable, what are they to do? It seems like they have already poured millions into maintaining their current system which is productive as it is to make better use of what water they do have, but would it be more productive to switch to a new form of energy altogether? Your post definitely brought up a lot to think about, good job!
This is super interesting and I have never thought this way before, but its nuts how even hydroelectric power, a renewable energy source, something that is helpful in the climate crisis, can become obsolete due to the thing that it attempts to improve. Crazy. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of paradoxical. A country has a massive hydroelectric power-plant that runs on water-energy, but they cant use it because a changing climate caused by reliance on fossil-fuels. Whoops... This is really getting out of hand when we can't even use the solutions we already have built anymore.
ReplyDelete