Turkmenistan suspends gas supplies to Uzbekistan, Iran and decreases to China

• Published date: 17 January 2023
• Publication title: Central Asian News Services

Turkmenistan has suspended gas supplies to Uzbekistan through the Daryalyk station since January 12, Gazeta.uz reported. This supplies were suspended for technical reasons due to abnormal frosts in the region.

Low temperatures led to the formation of hydrate in the infield communications of the Galkanysh gas condensate field, the newspaper says.

Gas exports to China via the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline have also significantly decreased.

Head of the Presidential Administration Sardor Umurzakov supposedly arrived in Ashgabat for talks on Saturday, January 14.

Thermal power plants in Uzbekistan cannot generate enough electricity due to a gas shortage, Meteozhurnal noted. Planned blackouts will be introduced in the country, as well as gas supply to consumers will be reduced.

Uzbekistan increased its purchases in Turkmenistan from 17-18 million kWh to 20-21 million kWh daily in December 2022 due to cold weather and interruptions with the electricity supply to the population.

Turkmenistan has also suspended gas supplies to Iran, "provoking an energy crisis", the Reporter website says.

Like the countries of Central Asia, Iran was also covered by abnormal frosts, which led to increased gas consumption and its shortage in a number of northern regions.

The suspension of supplies to Iran is not due...