Kazakhstan could provide power to Siberian regions affected by HPP disaster
ORENBURG. Sept 11 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has said his country could provide electricity supplies to regions in Siberia affected by the August 17 accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydroelectric Power Plant.
"It would definitely be possible to provide aid in power supplies in connection with the accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP, not only coal but electricity. As I've been told, about 500 megawatts of electricity," Nazarbayev said at a forum on interregional cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan in Orenburg on Friday.
Russia and Kazakhstan face similar problems in the power industry, such as wear and tear on key power stations, a high level of electricity consumption, low tariffs and the need to boost the investment appeal of the power market, he said.
The two countries have stepped cooperation in matters related to the power industry, he said.
"Coal from the Ekibastuz region has long been a stable and accessible source of fuel for many Russian and Kazakh power stations. I am confident that the mutually beneficial cooperation in this area will only strengthen over time," he said.
Nazarbayev also said that a joint Russian-Kazakh project to expand the Ekibastuz State District Power Plant-2 should be carried out as quickly as possible.