It is reported that to cope with the current energy crisis, Kyrgyzstan needs to address a number of possible remedies, one of which is a broader use of coal by industries and the population at large. Experts say Kyrgyzstan has sufficient coal reserves to meet its energy needs.

Mr Gulbarchyn Asanova deputy minister of industry, energy and fuel resources of Kyrgyzstan said the estimated reserves of the country’s 70 major coal mines amount to more than 2.2 billion tonnes with a further 1.2 billion tonnes of additional resources.

He said that more than half of the coal mined in the country is produced by the open-pit method. Coal mines in southern Kyrgyzstan are working quite efficiently, although the output could be certainly higher.

Mr Asanova said Kyrgyzstan now has 23 coal mining companies which are consolidated within the Komur state owned company almost all of them are public corporations.

As per report the demand of the economy and the population can only be met by increasing coal production. By 2010, the industry plans to extract 460,000 tonnes of coal which would allow reducing the import.

The plan is to increase coal extraction by 30% at the existing and operating coal mines in the northern Naryn province and to expand coal mining in the south of the country.