Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT1104
2008-08-22 13:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: HIGH TURNOUT AT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY
how-toVZCZCXRO6641 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #1104 2351332 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 221332Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1409 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 4203 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 2015 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1880 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 2451 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0876 RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2813 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001104
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: HIGH TURNOUT AT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY
CONFERENCE
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001104
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: HIGH TURNOUT AT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY
CONFERENCE
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY. The August 21-23 International Exhibit and
Scientific Conference entitled "The Main Growth Trends of the
Power Energy of Turkmenistan" was devoted to electrification
and capacity of Turkmenistan's power stations. The
conference seemed to demonstrate the government's serious
commitment to modernizing its energy sector, but there was no
discussion about the strategic nature of Turkmenistan's
energy resources. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) The International Exhibit and Scientific Conference
entitled "The Main Growth Trends of the Power Energy of
Turkmenistan" is being held August 21-23. Sponsored by the
Ministry of Energy, the conference brought speakers from a
variety of international and domestic companies to talk about
new products and technologies as well as the future of
Turkmen energy.
4. (SBU) The first day was the formal opening. The second
day's topic was electrification and the capacity of
Turkmenistan's power stations. International supply and
service companies, mostly from CIS countries (such as Ukraine
and Kazakhstan) gave presentations on improved circuit
breakers, power cables, etc. Areva T&D, a Western
multinational, gave presentations on the potential for wind
and nuclear power. While there was no outright criticism of
Turkmenistan's energy sector, several participants mentioned
the lack of service centers for repairing turbines and pumps,
despite several years of requesting these centers.
5. (SBU) The conference was well attended with several
hundred participants. In a departure from previous similar
conferences, groups of students were not brought in for the
sake of filling seats. While there were pockets of students
in the audience, the conference hall was not at maximum
capacity and did not seem artificially filled up. All
speakers were male, except for one Turkmen woman who only
gave a standard speech praising the President's
accomplishments. The conference hall was held on the top
floor of Ashgabat's Exhibition Center while the bottom floor
had exhibition booths from various energy-related companies
like GE and TurkmenEnergo. After the conference,
international visitors were offered the chance to do a
cultural tour of the city.
6. (SBU) COMMENT. The effort put into the conference
suggests that Turkmenistan is serious about modernizing its
energy sector. There was no discussion about the strategic
nature of Turkmenistan's energy resources, however. END
COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: HIGH TURNOUT AT INTERNATIONAL ENERGY
CONFERENCE
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) SUMMARY. The August 21-23 International Exhibit and
Scientific Conference entitled "The Main Growth Trends of the
Power Energy of Turkmenistan" was devoted to electrification
and capacity of Turkmenistan's power stations. The
conference seemed to demonstrate the government's serious
commitment to modernizing its energy sector, but there was no
discussion about the strategic nature of Turkmenistan's
energy resources. END SUMMARY.
3. (SBU) The International Exhibit and Scientific Conference
entitled "The Main Growth Trends of the Power Energy of
Turkmenistan" is being held August 21-23. Sponsored by the
Ministry of Energy, the conference brought speakers from a
variety of international and domestic companies to talk about
new products and technologies as well as the future of
Turkmen energy.
4. (SBU) The first day was the formal opening. The second
day's topic was electrification and the capacity of
Turkmenistan's power stations. International supply and
service companies, mostly from CIS countries (such as Ukraine
and Kazakhstan) gave presentations on improved circuit
breakers, power cables, etc. Areva T&D, a Western
multinational, gave presentations on the potential for wind
and nuclear power. While there was no outright criticism of
Turkmenistan's energy sector, several participants mentioned
the lack of service centers for repairing turbines and pumps,
despite several years of requesting these centers.
5. (SBU) The conference was well attended with several
hundred participants. In a departure from previous similar
conferences, groups of students were not brought in for the
sake of filling seats. While there were pockets of students
in the audience, the conference hall was not at maximum
capacity and did not seem artificially filled up. All
speakers were male, except for one Turkmen woman who only
gave a standard speech praising the President's
accomplishments. The conference hall was held on the top
floor of Ashgabat's Exhibition Center while the bottom floor
had exhibition booths from various energy-related companies
like GE and TurkmenEnergo. After the conference,
international visitors were offered the chance to do a
cultural tour of the city.
6. (SBU) COMMENT. The effort put into the conference
suggests that Turkmenistan is serious about modernizing its
energy sector. There was no discussion about the strategic
nature of Turkmenistan's energy resources, however. END
COMMENT.
CURRAN