Dulamsuren Dorjpurev, Vice Minister of Energy, discusses Mongolia’s plans for the energy sector.
European Times: What are the responsibilities of the Ministry of Energy and what are some of your current projects?
Dulamsuren Dorjpurev: This ministry was established in 2012 to formulate development strategies for the energy sector. We have many projects underway but three important ones are upgrading thermal plants three and four, as well as building a new combined heat power plant five in Ulaanbaatar, also at Tavan Tolgoi. For example, in 2014 the ministry will invest an additional 103 MW of capacity at plant number four.
European Times: What progress have you made on making Mongolia energy-self-sufficient?
Dulamsuren Dorjpurev: The Ministry of Energy is now in the final stage of preparing a master plan for the energy sector with the support of the Asian Development Bank. A number of challenges have already been overcome, including 50MW expansion of plant number three in Ulaanbaatar. We expect Mongolia to be producing 4000 MW of power by 2025. Our current output is 825 MW and we import 175 MW from Russia and 150 MW from China. Domestic demand is set to rise to 1500 MW by 2020 and 3000 MW by 2025. Our goals are to make Mongolia energy-self-sufficient, to export energy, and to provide the region’s lowest energy prices. To support energy exports, Mongolia is building new power infrastructure, including three power lines to Russia and China.
European Times: What kinds of power resources are your priorities?
Dulamsuren Dorjpurev: Our biggest energy resource is brown coal, but we aim for 20% of Mongolia’s power to come from renewable resources by 2020. Mongolia has extensive coal-based methane, so we are researching this, and we are considering building hydropower plants and more renewable-energy plants. The World Bank supported Mongolia’s 50 MW Slakhit wind farm and a 30 MW solar plant by a German investment is under discussion. Other priorities are to reduce air pollution in the capital caused by coal-burning and to build energy infrastructure in rural areas. We have already made a number of technological advances at Ulaanbaatar’s power plant to reduce harmful emissions.
European Times: What is your personal message to investors in Europe?
Dulamsuren Dorjpurev: Mongolia offers exceptional resources and investment potential, and our new investment law is creating even more opportunities. We aim to meet European standards in everything we do so it will be easy for European investors to enter the Mongolian market.
