Three Central Asian countries experience simultaneous power outages

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan experienced simultaneous power outages on Friday as authorities worked to restore electricity and determine the cause of the disruption. Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry stated via Telegram that a power surge occurred in the country due to a sudden change in electricity flow from the Central Asian power grid. As a result, the emergency control system was activated, causing power cuts for a number of consumers in several regions of Kazakhstan. According to the ministry, power supply has been fully restored on lines operated by KEGOC, the national electricity grid operator. Meanwhile, regional energy companies are working to reconnect consumers gradually. The ministry also dismissed claims linking the disruption in Uzbekistan to problems originating in Kazakhstan. Information circulating in several public groups stating that the power outage in Uzbekistan was caused by an incident on Kazakhstan’s power grid is untrue, the ministry stressed. In Uzbekistan, the Energy Ministry stated that an incident on a neighbouring country’s energy system affected the Central Asian electricity system, causing power outages in several regions, including the southeastern Surxondaryo region. The ministry later stated that power has been fully restored in all affected areas, except for parts of Surxondaryo, where power supply will be fully restored shortly. In Tajikistan, the Energy Ministry said via its Facebook account that efforts are underway to address an emergency situation in the country’s energy system. The ministry stated that measures have been taken to restore normal operations as soon as possible and expects the system to return to normal in the shortest possible time. An inter-agency working group has been established to determine the cause of the incident, the ministry added.