Kyrgyzstan, Russia discuss joint solar battery production
BISHKEK. Sept 23 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan and Russia are considering a joint project to manufacture solar batteries, Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Erkin Asrandiyev said at a meeting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission in Bishkek on Tuesday.
"The possibility of close cooperation in the area of energy was discussed, specifically a joint project to produce wafers for solar batteries," Asrandiyev said.
Kyrgyzstan's OJSC Electric Power Plants and Russia's Inter RAO are also holding negotiations on cooperation in the energy sector, he said.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said the project to set up production of wafers for solar power is very promising, and called for restoring the bilateral trade turnover between the two countries, which has fallen due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He also said Russia and Kyrgyzstan plan to carry out two major projects in the next few years.
"The first project is in tax administration. We're prepared to share our experience with our Kyrgyz colleagues so that the country can fulfil its social and budget obligations. The project will make a substantial contribution to the country's development. The second project is on a goods marking system," Overchuk said.
Electric Power Plants was formed in 2001 as a result of the restructuring of Kyrgyzenergo, with the government holding 93.65% of shares. The company generates 98% of the country's power, exports electricity and regulates the frequency in Central Asia's united energy system. The company has seven hydropower plants and two combined heat-and-power plants with combined installed capacity of 3.892 GW that annually generate 12 billion-14 billion kWh.
