Central Asia Rallies to Prevent Kyrgyzstan’s Winter Energy Crisis

As concerns mount about looming heating and electricity shortages in Kyrgyzstan this winter, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have pledged to help Bishkek avert a crisis. Fears about shortages stem from extremely low water levels in the Toktogul reservoir, a major source of hydropower in Central Asia, as well as for water used by downstream states for irrigation during the summer.  Top-level government officials from all three states signed an agreement in late November in Almaty, under which Kyrgyzstan agreed to minimize…