MINISTER OF ENERGY AND UK AMBASSADOR DISCUSS RELATIONS

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Minister of Energy D.Zorigt Thursday received Ms Catherine Arnold, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UK to Mongolia, to discuss with her the bilateral relations and cooperation issues. Mongolia is one of the leading countries in natural resources especially in coal, the UK Ambassador noted and asked the Minister about his Ministry's policy and ways of developing a collaboration between the two countries in this sphere. Answering her question, the Minister said the energy sector of Mongolia, which has a small population and big territories, needs investments, and that it covers 80% of the needs, the rest is supplied by Russia. "Our nearest goal is to fully provide the country with energy. We have made a basis for producing electricity from renewable sources, which can produce 20% of the total energy by 2020. As of today, the amount of energy provision made from renewable energy sources is 6-7%, and we intend to lift up this number to 30% by 2030,” he said. Mongolia intends to implement several projects in order to satisfy an increasing consumption of energy and to reduce the energy import, "the already planned five projects are the 5th thermal power station of Ulaanbaatar, power stations in Baganuur and Tavan tolgoi, and the 'Eg River' hydropower station. There are others that are on a level of feasibility and environmental impact studies, for example, the 'Shivee-Ovoo' power plant of 750 megawatt, being realized by the 'I am Power' British company". Zorigt also added that parliament recently adopted a policy document on the energy sector, which reflects the policy until 2030, and that he aims to introduce know-how and management and other fruitful technological solutions in the energy industry. The Ambassador Arnold said she is pleased to hear that Mongolia started many-staged measures for developing its energy sector, and emphasized that her country is ready to attract British energy companies to the collaboration with Mongolia’s energy industry. Related organizations plan to hold a meeting during a visit of the Mongolian Premier to the UK next week, she added. Ms Arnold also thanked the Minister for giving the information and said she would like to cooperate with his Ministry. Present at the meeting were also S.Bayarbat, a head of the Finance and Investment Department of the Energy Ministry, and G.Enkhtuvshin, a head of the External Relations and Cooperation Department.