Since the beginning of March, the water volume in the Toktogul reservoir has decreased by 594.39 million cubic meters, reaching 7.3194 billion. This is 3.11032 billion cubic meters less compared to the same period last year when the levels were higher.
The decrease in water levels has led to a nearly double increase in water discharge compared to 2023. Despite initially being lower in the first half of 2024, the average water discharge from March 1 to 15 was 658.5 cubic meters per second, compared to 344.3 in the previous year.
It is worth noting that in the second week of March, the water discharge started to gradually decrease. Authorities have urged the population to conserve electricity usage, especially during peak hours, to address the energy crisis. The Deputy Minister of Energy, Taalaibek Baigaziev, emphasized the importance of responsible energy consumption to mitigate the impact on households.
However, relying solely on public awareness may not be sufficient. The government is considering implementing power outages to save energy, with regulatory measures still in place despite earlier promises to halt them from March 8. The recent addition of load shedding hours has extended to the capital, Bishkek, highlighting the severity of the situation.
