Uzbek Ecologists Leader Calls For Inspection of Nurek And Toktogul Hydro Electric Stations

“Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station accident in Russia has been concerned on working safety of largest power plants, built in Central Asia in Soviet Era”, - Mr. Boriy Alikhanov, the chairman of the Uzbek ecological movement executive committee informed mass media, the Kyrgyz AKIpress news agency reported on September 4, this year.

“In Uzbekistan we were alarmed on very incident but also due to our territory’s position under the risk emanate from possible accidents of similar facilities, and first of all Nurek and Toktogul hydropower stations, in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan”, - he said.

Ecological movement leader has driven an attention to Nurek hydroelectric plant dam, which came into commission as same date as Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station. This is highest such installation in the world and up to 310 meters. Nurek power station’s reservoir water capacity - 10,5 billion cubic meters. At the same time Toktogul reservoir, having 215 meter dam contains 19,5 cubic meters of water.

As Mr. Alikhanov stressed, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, located on the upper stream of biggest Central Asian rivers are used hydro power plants, inherited after USSR collapse at own interests.

“On purpose to tackle own energy problems, reservoirs of Nurek and Toktogul power plants, which served in due time first of all to agricultural fields irrigating, including in downstream countries, now actively used on energy regime. It is disturbing of project parameters, that would be cause extreme situation.

Present real risks needs to make adequate measures. In particular, realizing comprehensive inspection of whole engineering chain in active hydro plants of all largest reservoirs in Central Asia are necessary.

It’s significant to regard “human factor” and organize personnel certification and retraining all specialists engaged on very facilities operating. Ensuring strict and effective protection of hydro power plants is also necessary”, - Mr.Alikhanov has assumed.

Leader of Uzbek ecological movement has concerned about purposes aimed to new hydro electric stations construction on upstream. “At the present situation particular anxiety has been caused by upstream countries intention to rapid build of other huge hydro power facilities, such as Kambarata hydro electric station cascade in Kyrgyzstan and Rogun hydro electric station in Tajikistan.

At last one should not forget, that very zone has high seismic activity, where earthquake reaches to magnitude 9-10 and in a moment able to destruct such biggest power facilities.

In this regard detail and careful free international examination of all new hydroelectric plants, all the more such enhanced, which are projected on upstream is needed”- he summed up.