Kyrgyzstan Restricts Electricity Use in Government Buildings to Save Power

The Kyrgyz government has introduced new measures to improve energy efficiency and promote the rational use of electricity, Orda.kz reports.

From 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., lighting and the use of electrical appliances will be limited in government buildings, both indoors and outdoors.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the initiative is expected to save around 40 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per month.

The decision comes amid record energy consumption growth — in the first nine months of the year, usage increased by almost one billion kilowatt-hours. Compounding the problem is a drop in the water level of the Naryn River: inflows into the Toktogul Reservoir were two billion cubic meters lower than during the same period last year.

Officials emphasized that the water shortage demands a “proactive approach” to managing Kyrgyzstan’s water and energy balance. The main goal, they said, is to ensure stable operation of the power system and prevent possible outages during the winter season.

Original Author: Rustam Muratov