June 17, 2020, Almaty, Kazakhstan – Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) continues providing remote support to its energy counterparts. Today, USAID successfully conducted an online workshop for working group members from the Central Asian Ministries of Energy, utilities and power system operators to discuss electricity markets and their operation.

Workshop participants learned how electricity markets contribute to the reliable operation of national power systems, including how competitive regional markets can bring substantial benefits to national power sectors and economies.

“The online workshop, during the COVID-19 outbreak, is part of our continued support to counterparts in their efforts to create a fully functioning regional electricity market. We believe that as a result of the workshop participants will develop a greater understanding of the importance and approach to  implementation of the Central Asia Regional Electricity Market,” said Christopher Edwards USAID Central Asia Regional Mission Director.

In 2019, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan signed memoranda of understanding and/or action plans with USAID in support of a Central Asian regional electricity market, committing to the development of an enhanced energy trading market. Additionally, with the support of USAID, these countries created regional working groups on technical, legal/regulatory and market issues.

USAID began its assistance to establish a Central Asia regional electricity market in 2018 to promote the region’s long-term energy security and economic growth. A regional energy market will serve as a platform for an expanded Central Asia-South Asia regional power market that will deploy the lowest-cost power in support of greater economic and social development. USAID’s long-term objective is to establish an integrated power market that ensures fair and consistent transactions for all Central Asian countries; common standards for performance; fair and non-discriminatory pricing; and access to the power grid. For more information, please visit www.ptfcar.org/carem.