For Tajikistan, the coal being produced in the country is an energy raw material and it will be hard to replace it by alternative energies in the foreseeable future, says The Coal Mining in the EDB Countries survey released by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) on September 7.

Exploration and development of coal fields has been intensified in Tajikistan since 2012 when Uzbekistan stopped gas shipments to Tajikistan, according to the survey.

The survey, in particular, notes that during the period from 2012 to 2016, average annual growth rates were approximately 44 percent.  “Over the first six months of this year, average annual growth rates have been estimated at 20.6 percent (up to 541,000 tons).  In the medium term, the government intends to essentially increase production capacity of coal mining in order to meet internal requirements in cola and provide export of coal,” EDB experts stressed.  

They say the coal mining in Tajikistan has vast prospects for further development.

According to EDB experts, Tajikistan’s possible coal reserves are estimated at least 4.3 billion tons.

Recall, Tajikistan last year produced 1.4 million tons of coal.  Over the first six months of this year, Tajikistan has produced 540,000 tons of coal, which is nearly 100,000 tons more than in the same period last year.  

Since 2007, more than more than 160 industrial enterprises in Tajikistan have been shifted to coal and  more than 200 coal-fired enterprises now operate in the country.

Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial organization founded by Russia and Kazakhstan in 2006.  The members of the Bank are Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan and Belarus (2010).  Other states or international organizations can become members by joining the Agreement Establishing the EDB.  The Bank has the status of an international organization, and is subject to international law.