The work of heat recovery boilers of the Bishkek combined heat and power plant was designed to use coal from Karaganda coal fields, Minister of Energy Talaibek Ibraev told a press conference.

"If we increase calorific value of the domestically mined coal, we will be able to refuse from import of coal from Kazakhstan for the BCHPP," the Energy Minister said.

Chinese investors will develop a coal field in Min-Kush now, he said.

The Kyrgyz Coal State Enterprise will get 40%, the investor will get 60%.

40% of coal will be briquetted. A plant will be built for this purpose. The calorific value of such coal in this case will rise to 6-7 Gcal, the Minister said.

"In this case we will be able to refuse from Kazakhstan coal. The calorific value of coal in the south of Kyrgyzstan reaches 8 Gcal, but transportation costs make this coal even more expensive than coal from Kazakhstan. This is why we do not transport coal from the south. It is easier to buy coal in Kazakhstan," Minister Ibraev explained.

Chinese investors are expected to begin extraction of coal before the end of this year, he said.

Investors will mine 1.8 million tons of coal a year. 40% will make around 600,000 tons of coal. "We plan to buy this coal for the Bishkek combined heat and power plant," Minister Ibraev said.

Development and extraction of coal on Ak-Ulak block near Min-Kush village, Jumgal district is planned.

"We obtained a license for coal mining, prepared a project proposal and attracted investors. The investment competition was won by the Kyrgyz-Chinese company. Their engineers are working at the site. They plan to bring equipment before the end of September. According to the documents, investors plan to increase coal production to 2 million tons," Kyrgyz Coal Enterprise Director Kanatbek Ashirbaev said in an interiew with Birinchi Radio on September 6.