Kyrgyzstan To Buy Gas From Kazakhstan Rather Than Uzbekistan

A Batken-area gas facility in southwestern Kyrgyzstan (undated)

Kyrgyzstan's acting Deputy Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov says neighboring Kazakhstan has agreed to sell natural gas to Kyrgyzstan at a much lower price than Kyrgyzstan has been paying to Uzbekistan for gas supplies.

Babanov said Uzbekistan is currently charging $305 per 1,000 cubic meters, while Kazakhstan is prepared to sell gas to Kyrgyzstan for $195 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Babanov said Kyrgyzstan's current gas is some 300 million cubic meters of gas annually, and he added that Kazakhstan would sell 240 million cubic meters per year to Kyrgyzstan under the new agreement.

Babanov said consumers in Kyrgyzstan could expect to see a reduction in their gas bills in the near future.

compiled from local and regional agency reports