Kazakhstan Denies Causing Power Outages in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has denied that electricity disruptions in Uzbekistan were caused by an accident in Kazakhstan’s power system. The ministry said reports circulating about the incident were inaccurate.

Earlier, it was reported that a sharp change in electricity flows from the Central Asian power system in Kazakhstan caused a power surge, triggering emergency protection systems. This resulted in power cuts affecting some consumers in several regions of the country.

Four districts of Almaty and 10 districts of Almaty region were left without electricity. “Information circulating in some public channels that the power disruptions in Uzbekistan occurred as a result of an accident in Kazakhstan’s power system does not correspond to reality,” Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said.

According to KEGOC, Kazakhstan’s electricity grid operator, three 500-kilovolt transmission lines were disconnected as a result of the accident. The volume of restrictions on electricity supply to consumers in Kazakhstan reached about 2,810 MW.

Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said electricity supply through the KEGOC network has now been fully restored.

Regional power supply organisations continue to reconnect individual consumers in stages.

The ministry also said the situation remains under control.

On the afternoon of 14 August, power outages occurred in four countries at the same time — Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.