Taras Kupchikov spoke about the functioning of the energy systems of the CIS member states in the autumn-winter period at a meeting of the CEV at the CIS Energy Council
On January 23, 2024, as part of a meeting of the Commission on Economic Issues under the CIS Economic Council, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS Electric Power Council Taras Kupchikov reported on the results of the work done to analyze the outcome of the autumn-winter periods (AWP) in 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, and also about the implemented and recommended measures to ensure the reliability and stability of the power systems of the CIS member states in the short and long term.
In particular, Taras Kupchikov said that the energy balances of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation show the presence of reserves of electrical power and allow the powe systems of these states to provide reliable power supplies to consumers. The power systems of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan are experiencing a shortage of electrical energy and capacity, which in the coming years will be difficult to cover through their own electricity generation facilities. The power system of the Republic of Tajikistan is capable of power consumption, with the exception of seasonal shortages of electrical energy in the autumn-winter period, which is due to the existing generation structure (about 90% of electrical energy in the country is produced by hydroelectric power plants).
Speaking about the features and trends in the development of the CIS electric power industry as a whole, Taras Kupchikov noted that:
- the growth in energy consumption of the countries of the Central Asian region is higher than in other CIS member states, and is at least 2–3% per year;
- the electric power industry development programs adopted in the CIS member states are aimed at independently meeting the electrical energy needs of industrial consumers and the population;
- all CIS member states are implementing investment projects in the electric power industry: construction and modernization of generating capacities and grid facilities.
- the development of the renewable generation sector occupies a special place in the implementation of state policy in the electricity sector in a number of countries;
- issues of development and consolidation of markets for system services, development of methods and systems for forecasting the development of energy systems, exchange of data on plans for the development of parallel operating energy systems are becoming increasingly relevant.
The Chairman of the Executive Committee of the EPC CIS noted in his speech the following most important tasks facing the electric power systems of the CIS member states in the framework of ensuring reliability and sustainability in the short and long term.
In the short term, it is important to strengthen coordination of the development of parallel operating electric power systems of the CIS member states, including within the framework of already existing working structures and mechanisms, such as the Commission for Operational and Technological Coordination of the Joint Operation of Power Systems of the CIS and Baltic Countries (COTC) and the Procedure for the Exchange of Forecast Data development of power systems.
It is also important to continue the practice of conducting inter-system international emergency training both at the dispatcher level and at the level of line personnel to practice joint actions of power engineers to prevent and eliminate the consequences of emergencies at power facilities and ensure reliable operation of power systems. In this case, training can be carried out using digital training complexes, which make it possible to simulate the behavior of power facilities and power systems in emergency situations in real time with the required accuracy.
In the long term, in order to ensure reliable and high-quality power supply to industrial consumers and the population, it is necessary to ensure the implementation of planned investment programs in the electric power complexes of the CIS member states in full, to minimize underfunding of repair programs and projects for equipment modernization and new construction.