TEHRAN - Iranian Minister of Energy Ali-Akbar Mehrabian and his Kyrgyz counterpart Taalaibek Ibrayev have voiced readiness to cooperate in the field of energy and implementation of hydroelectric projects.

The two ministers met on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries on Friday.

Speaking during the meeting, the Iranian minister said that the future of relations between Iran and Kyrgyzstan is bright, noting that Tehran is ready for any cooperation with Bishkek.

Mehrabian referred to Iran’s huge energy potential and said that the country generates some 360 terawatt/h of electricity annually.

The Kyrgyz minister, for his part, appreciated Iran’s capacities in the production and supply of oil and oil products, while adding that his country has good experience in constructing hydroelectric and small-scale power plants.

In the meeting, Mehrabian voiced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to export technical and engineering services, as well as supply equipment in the energy sector.

The Iranian energy minister pointed out that connecting the electricity grid of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan and then Iran will enable the exchange of electricity for the countries of the region, especially during the peak consumption period of summer and winter.

Also on Thursday, in another meeting with Mahmoud Jurabek, the Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, Mehrabian expressed his readiness to expand cooperation between the two countries, while thanking the president of that country for his efforts in bilateral cooperation in the field of energy.

He voiced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to develop cooperation, especially in the field of exporting technical and engineering services, as well as supplying energy field equipment to Uzbekistan.

Stating that Uzbekistan has a growing economy, the Mehrabian mentioned energy as the most important issue of development in this country.

Referring to the capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the production, transmission and distribution of electricity, Mehrabian pointed out that factories manufacturing equipment in the Islamic Republic of Iran are ready to cooperate with Uzbekistan at a competitive price.

"If Uzbekistan's electricity grid is connected to Turkmenistan's electricity grid, it will be possible to exchange electricity with Uzbekistan and manage peak consumption in summer and winter," he added.

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