Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

Energy-rich Turkmenistan increased its electricity export in the first quarter of this year, the Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary reported.

Vice-Premier Dadebai Amangeldyev, supervising the electric-power industry, said that 6.2 billion kWh of electricity was generated in the country during the reporting period, which amounts to 106.2 percent, compared to the similar period of 2016.

Amangeldyev announced about this while addressing a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, devoted to the socio-economic development results in January-March 2017.

As many as 972.1 million kWh of electricity was exported. Compared to the previous year’ similar period, the growth rate of this indicator amounted to 104.1 percent.

Turkmenistan's energy market is controlled by the State. The investment into its electric power industry is part of the country’s general policy of diversifying its energy export routes in the region.

Turkmenistan exports electricity to Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. On the basis of the agreements reached in 2017, Turkmenistan will increase electricity supplies to Afghanistan from 100 megawatts to 150, and in 2018 – up to 300 megawatts. The other promising power export routes, in particular, Pakistan and Tajikistan also being considered.

The energy minister said that Turkmenistan will increase its energy output to 27.4bn kWh by 2020, and to 35.5bn kWh by 2030.

Electricity is one of the leading sectors of the Turkmen economy, which is aimed at the complete satisfaction of the needs of industry, agriculture, social sector of the country, as well as the build-up in Turkmen exports.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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