Kyrgyzstan has long attracted tourists with its hospitality, historical monuments and unique landscapes. In fact, this is not all that the republic can boast of. Even having lived there all your life, having visited different areas, there is something that can surprise you. Imagine, an object erected by a man - the work of a thousand minds and hands, which, like a Swiss watch, works smoothly, providing millions of people with heat and light - the Toktogul hydroelectric power station.

The Ministry of Energy provided an opportunity for everyone to learn about the country's electricity generation and held a free tour of the hydropower plant on 21 January. Participants learnt about the operation of the hydropower plant, saw the upgraded hydroelectric units, and received information about the role of water from the Toktogul reservoir in the energy sector and the process of electricity generation. The editorial staff of Akchabar did not miss the opportunity and also took part in this event.

The departure was early, as the journey was long and difficult, mainly because of the Too-Ashuu Pass, where the weather can suddenly change and disrupt all plans. About 100 people travelled as part of a delegation headed by the Minister of Energy himself, Taalaibek Ibraev. Interestingly, among those interested were not only journalists and photographers, but also students, experts, entrepreneurs and those whose work is not directly related to the power industry.

The main purpose of the tour was to explain the current problems of the energy sector of Kyrgyzstan, tariff formation and use of water resources.

Kambarata HPP-2 met the journalists with the noise of a powerful unit generating 120 MW of electricity. Taalaibek Ibraev personally conducted a tour of the plant, talking about its importance and prospects.

‘Before the construction of Kambarata HPP-1 is completed, we must put into operation all three units with a capacity of 120 MW each,’ he emphasised.
 

During the inspection, the official explained in detail how the hydropower plant works: water passing through the unit is turned into energy and then returned to the river to move further downstream. One of the units now supplies power to the Datka-Kemin line, from where it is distributed between Chui, Issyk-Kul and Naryn oblasts.

However, the tour showed that there is still a lot of work ahead. To start up the second unit, not only must a new transformer be installed, but also a 500 kV switchgear must be built. Taalaibek Ibraev noted that, in addition to technical challenges, the energy sector faces inevitable losses in electricity transmission - their volume is about 5-5.5%.

The delegation also visited the Toktogul HPP - one of the largest and most impressive structures in the Kyrgyz Republic. This powerful plant, hidden in the mountain bowels, surprised with its scale. To get to the hydroelectric units, it was necessary to drive through a long tunnel, and the units themselves, making revolutions with incredible speed, turned out to be almost silent. On the balcony of the dam the participants of the excursion admired the breathtaking view of the Naryn River, the emerald colour of which does not need filters - it is natural.

At Toktogul HPP they told about the progress in the reconstruction of the plant. Three hydroelectric units have already been modernised as part of the second phase of renovation. Before the reconstruction, the design capacity of each of them was 300 MW, but now the figure has been increased to 360 MW, adding a total of 180 MW of capacity to the plant. One more unit is planned to be reconstructed this year. The work will start on 1 March and preparations will be completed by 20 February.

The fifty-year history of the station, launched on 5 January 1975, underlines its importance not only for the energy system of our republic, but also for the whole of Central Asia. The scale and thoughtfulness of the construction impressed all the participants of the trip. The HPP is not just an energy facility, but a real symbol of engineering art, without which it is difficult to imagine sustainable energy in the region. It is the evaluation of the facility in terms of this scale and engineering work that opens up opportunities for Kyrgyzstan in an unexpected sphere - tourism.

One of the promising directions for tourism development in the country could be industrial tourism - organised tours to existing or former industrial enterprises, which allow to get acquainted with production processes. This direction will be especially valuable for the state, as it is an all-season tourist product and is able to solve a number of socio-economic problems.

It is the first excursion for all comers that can be considered the first step in promoting industrial tourism. Taalaibek Ibraev, commenting on the initiative, in a conversation with "Akchabar ’ correspondent noted that in the future it is also planned to visit such sites as At-Bashy and Uch-Kurgan hydroelectric power stations. According to him, such excursions not only demonstrate the achievements of the energy sector, but also strengthen the connection of society with one of the most important industries of the country.

‘Toktogul HPP is a unique hydroelectric power plant for us, one of the big hydroelectric power plants in Central Asia. Why shouldn't we show it? It is our treasure. Plus, we are currently reconstructing the Uch-Kurgan HPP, and we will show it too,’ the minister stressed.

Industrial tourism can help popularise energy facilities, the development of which plays a key role in the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic, and also draw attention to other industrial achievements of the republic. So far, the Ministry of Energy plans to conduct such excursions at its own expense, but with a commercial approach, this event could become a kind of support for the enterprise.

In addition to the economic effect, the development of industrial tourism in Kyrgyzstan will help strengthen the prestige of working professions, attract young people to technical specialities and emphasise the uniqueness of national industries.

For the successful implementation of the initiative, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of organising such tours, including the development of comfortable conditions for tourists, improving the level of service and popularising this destination. It may also require revision of the law on regime facilities to reduce bureaucratic processes. However, the popularisation of this type of tourism in our country will be a step towards the creation of unique tourist products, improving the image in the international arena and comprehensive development of the regions.