uznews.net: Uzbekistan sells gas, switches to coal

By increasing natural gas exports, Uzbekistan is forcing its own population and industry to switch to coal, with wood and dung being another alternative.

When the third stage of the Uzbekistan-China pipeline will reach full capacity, gas exports to China will account for about 60% of the country's total output. Uzbekistan started gas exports to China this August, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said last week.

The country will supply 4-5 billion cu. m. of gas to China by the end of 2012, as the figure is expected to increase to 10 billion cu. m. a year in the near future.

With the construction of the third branch of the pipeline, Uzbek gas exports to China will increase to 25 billion cu. m. a year. This is almost double the amount currently supplied to Russia, which is Uzbekistan's main gas importer. MORE