Cabinet reviews energy distribution, coal transport and waste water treatment project
During its weekly meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet agreed to fund 51 billion MNT to install power lines to provide access to electricity to 21,300 ger district residents in the capital.
Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry D.Sumyabazar reported on the current situation of coal export from Mongolia to China, and noted that over 1,300 trucks carrying coal used to pass through Gashuun Sukhait border checkpoint on a daily basis before China tightened its border and customs control in July to combat contraband. Currently, only around 600 trucks are passing through the border due to super long logjam.
Minister D.Sumyabazar said that under the current customs standards, Gashuun Sukhait border checkpoint allows trucks to carry 65 tons of coal, but the limit on coal transport should be increased to address a 100-km logjam.
Cabinet agreed to increase the limit to 100-110 tons between November 15 and March 1 to raise coal exports by 40 percent to 50 percent.
Cabinet members agreed to implement the project on the renovation of the Central Waste Water Treatment Plant (CWTP) as the feasibility study has been complected by French engineering company Artella.
Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh instructed Minister of Finance Ch.Khurelbaatar to allocate 300 million USD from a soft loan by the Export - Import Bank of China to implement the project.
After Cabinet’s meeting, Deputy Minister of Construction and Urban Development Sh.Lkhamsuren reported on the renovation of CWTP, stating that the project is scheduled to start in the second half of next year.
The Deputy Construction Minister emphasized that the construction of the project will take four years, but the government will strive to complete the project within 2.5 years.
Sh.Lkhamsuren stated that experts recommended building a new treatment plant instead of upgrading CWTP as it will be more cost efficient. He added that the government will announce a tender to select an executor for the project.