Kyrgyzstan has introduced a new coal price regulation mechanism aimed at making the solid fuel more affordable through the upcoming winter heating season.
The Kyrgyz government will maintain its control over domestic coal sales. The mechanism also eliminates any unnecessary middlemen in the sales process.
It is designed to create a transparent pricing system, guarantee economically justified prices and prevent any sharp price increases, according to a statement released by the Kyrgyz ministry of economy and commerce last week.
State-owned coal producer Kyrgyzkomur will be able to sell coal directly to retail buyers, while the government's Anti-monopoly Regulation Service (ARS) will oversee compliance, monitor the market and respond to citizen appeals.
Kyrgyzkomur started official sales of thermal coal for residents of Bishkek and the Chui region at specialised fuel depots from late last week. The company urged citizens to buy in advance to avoid queues during the colder season.
The producer said coal from the Kara-Keche mine — in Naryn and one of the country's most important coal deposits — was delivered to depots in Bishkek and the Chui region on 12 August, and deliveries from the Agulak section of the Minkush deposit will start soon.
Retail coal prices at state depots have been set by the ARS. In Bishkek, coal was priced at 7,000 soms/t ($80.05/t), while in the northern Chui district prices ranged from 6,600 Soms/t in Kemin to 7,500 Soms/t in Panfilov, depending on cost of transportation.
Kyrgyzstan typically ramps up state monitoring of its coal sector ahead of the heating season and sometimes during to ensure energy security through the harsh winters. The country had set a maximum retail price for coal across its regions in early 2025.
It had also imposed a 90-day price cap on coal starting last October to prevent any sudden price increases leading up to the last winter.
More recently, Kyrgyzstan imposed a six-month ban on coal exports by road, which came into effect from 23 June. But the ban did not apply to shipments through the Irkeshtam and Torugart border crossings.