"Providing electricity in Novopokrovka village"

  

 

 

Initiator and principal performer: OO Elsen, Center for the Protection of Electricity Consumer Rights (OCEPA), Kant city and Chui region

With financial support from: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) through the Collaborative Management Program implemented by East-West Management Institute (EWMI).

Description: 498 newly-built households in Novopokrovka, Chui, did not have access to electricity and other facilities for three years. The lack of interaction between local and regional authorities, limited funding, flaws in legislation, and issues with the electricity supply system itself caused a high amount of problems and dissatisfaction to the citizens.

Numerous consultations with families living in these new buildings, as well as activities and studying the situation within the framework of protecting the rights of electricity consumers, have shown that the problem of access to electricity in new buildings of the republic is one of the most pressing in the energy sector.

Project results:

With the joint efforts of local residents and with the support of local authorities:

  • 203 utility poles were installed
  • Electric distribution networks were laid
  • An initiative group trained in advocacy, having studied the legal methods of protecting their rights, and currently look at the problem in a different way and foresee its solution in the collaboration of local and regional authorities, and residents
  • From the initiative group, a public association was formed called the "Demilgeluu Araket"
  • Conditions have been created for an effective dialogue of the parties including the AO, the district and regional administration, energy companies, deputies of the residential complex, CSOs and the residents of the new building themselves.
  • An analytical report based on NLAs on the power supply of new buildings of Kyrgyzstan with the participation of experts from the OCEPE network was released.
  • Studies and recommendations became the basis for advancing the legislative initiative of the deputy group, which is at the 2nd reading level.
  • The project contributed to the signing of a memorandum of cooperation on electricity supply to new buildings between Severelektro OJSC, Chui Oblast and Minenergoprom http://www.tushtuk.kg/society/7451/
  • With the support of the Chui regional state administration, a round table was organised “Access to electricity: experts and state and local authorities in the interests of the community”.
  • The new building is partially supplied with electricity and is in the process of being connecting to the power supply.

The project in the media:

http://cso-central.asia/dostup-k-elektrichestvu-v-novostrojkax-issyk-atinskogo-rajona/

 

 

Improving energy efficiency in public schools of Kyrgyz Republic

Initiator and main performer: Unison Group

With financial support from: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Description: The heating supply for buildings in Kyrgyzstan face a number of barriers and problems that reduce the quality of heat and services provided to residents, particularly in rural areas. In general, the housing and utilities sector is characterised by an irrational supply of gas, water and heat energy, inefficient energy-saving resources and poor building materials and structures.

The following procedure provides public schools with coal by:

  • School principals or their supervisors apply for the purchase of coal, not taking into account the brand of coal and the type of furnace.
  • Coal is purchased and supplied by commissions of aiyl okrugs. Moreover, members of tender commissions are appointed teachers, doctors, ayil okrug employees, etc., who do not have knowledge of furnace devices, even those existing in their buildings.
  • A tender is publicised for the purchase of coal, with universal tender documents that do not take into account the difference between the installed boilers. Tender documents should consider all the possibilities of effective heating of school buildings, taking into account the required quality and appropriate boilers.
  • The tender wins the coal from the company that provided the lowest price.

Due to the commission’s fault, fuel is not suitable for use and this is observed year after year in the majority of school buildings. Thus, it is essential to provide the correct information for representatives of the schools, social facilities about types of heating devices and types of fuel.

Other factors that also affect the quality of heat supply are:

  • Boilers and heating systems,
  • Technical assistants who are responsible for maintaining the boilers etc.

It is clear that at each stage there are a number of unaccounted for and problematic issues, where the solutions to these could improve the heat supply of the schools. Additionally, an important aspect would be to measure the amount of fuel received at the facility, and also to regulate the volume of fuel burned.

Results:

 

Fig.1.:The areas where the seminars were held.

 

In accordance with a number of publications previously developed by the “Unison Group” regarding energy and fuel supply, information was also collated on this project for the continuation of a series of consumer guides on the use of energy resources called “A User’s Guide to Coal Heating” (This document was written in Russian and then translated into Kyrgyz).

About web services project:

Protection of the rights of electricity consumers

 

The Community Energy Advocate centres (CAEs) are a voluntary association of civil society organisations working on a range of issues with electricity supply at local levels. The Community Energy Advocate Centers were established in 2011.

Our mission: Sustainable and innovative approaches to develop the legal literacy of electricity consumers while establishing a progressive and mutually beneficial cooperation with electricity distribution companies.

Since our foundation, we have accumulated a lot of experience on successful cooperation with government agencies, electricity distribution utilities, civil society organisations, local governments and donor organisations.

We put a lot of effort into establishing long-term relations with our strategic partners, aiming for a subsequent expansion of our joint activity and for the introduction of innovative, mutual and beneficial projects.

Furthermore, we created a triangular relationship (energy utility - energy consumer – local authority) of institutionalised consumers. So, the interests of consumers of electricity are presented by specialised civil society organisations, institutionalised as an intermediary between the supplier and the consumer which also protects the rights of consumers in relevant disputes. CEA organise its work on the base of the signed tripartite memorandum between CEA, regional government offices and energy companies (2014) on understanding and cooperation.  From this point of view, Community Energy Advocates have a good base for exposure to a particular application of the principles of good governance for the benefit of consumers. 

Our working methods:

    • Promoting constructive dialogue, monitoring and advocacy decisions at the level of distribution companies to improve the situation of consumers of electricity.
    • Cooperate with electricity distribution and energy supply companies, civil society organisations, suppliers and installers of energy efficiency technologies, and local self-government authorities;
    • Provide professional assistance and advice to energy consumers on protecting their rights and enabling them to develop skills and knowledge about the legal framework of energy purchases;
    • A resource centre with demonstration samples and informative materials on electricity supply, energy performance of buildings, insulation and efficient stoves for consumers 

In addition, CEA experts have also been active in protecting consumer rights by carrying out open lectures for the public campaign "Stay warm Kyrgyzstan", which involved more than 400 settlements in 2014 and 500 settlements in 2014.

Our achievements:

  •    Policy Dialogue and Advocacy:

o    4 Memorandum Agreements for Cooperation with CEA and Local Government and Electricity Utility:

  •   Representation of the Government in the Chui region, JSC "Severelectro";
  •   Issyk-Kul oblast administration,  JSC "Vostocelekrto"
  •   Osh oblast administration, JSC "Osh electro", CEAs
  •   Jalal-Abad oblast administration, JSC "Jalal-Abad Electro", CEAs,

o    In connection with the problems in the Kyrgyz energy sector, CEA proposed a number of recommendations to the responsible authorities:

  •  on tariff policy (May, 2014),
  •  on cutoffs of 3 phase connected consumers of the electricity (May, 2014),
  •  providing the population with a high-quality electricity supply (August, 2014),
  •  providing quality energy supply for the autumn-winter period (August, 2014),
  •  development of an effective mechanism for consideration of consumer opinions (November, 2014)
  •  Involvement on development of three analytical studies on energy sector issues:
  •  Study on access to electricity (new settlements electricity connections)
  •  Study on coal market development (price and quality) in the south of Kyrgyzstan, monitoring of the public access to coal, http://unison.kg/images/publication/dobro-uprav/ugol_anl.pdf
  •  Study on electricity supply quality http://energy.unison.kg/en/content/results-electricity-quality-measurements
  • · Assistance and advice to energy consumers

o     More than 10 000 consultations to clients were provided,

  • Public disclosure of more than 9 000 cases of infringement energy consumer’s rights;
  • Compensation and refunds were achieved worth 8 760 685 KGS ($168 474) to energy consumers without justification accrued fines and charge on account;

o    More than 600 events were organised– round tables and seminars, informative meetings at local and regional levels for various stakeholders:

o    involvement with more than 7000 consumers and participants;

  •  Trained more than 220 inspectors and representatives of energy utilities;
  •  More than 20 000 citizens were involved in CEA activities;
  •  Resource centre

o    Distributed more than 330 thousand posters, leaflets, brochures, policy briefs;

o    Public campaign "Stay warm, Kyrgyzstan!", public lectures and information campaign on energy efficiency and energy rights:

  •   400 settlements in 2014
  •   500 settlements in 2015 
"Be Warm, Kyrgyzstan!" Campaign

 

 

Energy sector assessment using the EDIT toolkit

Project Objectives:

During this project a survey was carried out on energy activities that involved government officials, electricity company staff and energy consumers based on the Electricity Distribution Interface Toolkit (EDIT). During the project, short-term technical assistance was provided to assist the team with initial data analysis and drafting a comprehensive analytical report and recommendations. It was also translated into Kyrgyz and English, and then printed and 1,500 copies were distributed to stakeholders. 

The purpose of the project was to:

a) empower civil society and consumer groups to better understand problems and issues relating to electricity service delivery and enable more informed engagement with and advocacy to utilities, government and other related agencies; 

b) to improve the effectiveness and accountability of the energy sector through inclusive decision-making and informed civil society engagement in the Fuel and Energy Sector Transparency Initiative (FESTI).

 

 For more details, download a full report: http://energy.unison.kg/sites/default/files/an_report_ru.pdf

«Creating Transparency in the Coal Market in the South of Kyrgyzstan»

Contracting AuthorityIRG USAID 

Narrative description/ Abstract of Project Objectives: 

The aim of this project was to develop a map on regional variations in coal prices; draft of a coal price monitoring report, organise media-tours, increase the awareness of regional coal price variations and coal quality differences, respond to the critical source of instability during the winter months and to support civil society advocacy on increased government transparency.

Description of services provided by Unison: Weekly monitoring of coal prices was conducted through the Consumer Rights Protection Centers network in Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad oblasts. The coal supply and demand points (trade points) were mapped in Osh and Jalal-Abad Oblasts to inform consumers on the comparative analysis of the final cost of coal and the quality of combustion and coal quality check-points (labs in Bishkek, Osh, mines in Tashkumir, Sulukta, Alai). Tours were offered to media representatives (such as press and television journalists) in Osh during which different properties of the coal (e.g. calorific value, radiation, spontaneous combustion in the open air, properties of ash slag and flue gas, and so forth) were discussed and demonstrated. In addition, 100 copies of the coal monitoring report were edited and printed in Russian and Kyrgyz and distributed to the local villages. 

 

For more details, download a full report.http://energy.unison.kg/sites/default/files/an_report_ru.pdf