Kyrgyzstan’s Junda Oil Refinery Faces Pollution Complaints During $194 Million Upgrade

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said his government would consider relocating residents of Kara-Balta if living near the Junda oil refinery was harming their health. A resident had asked him to close the Chinese-owned plant or require better pollution controls. At the November 8 meeting in Kara-Balta, about 60 kilometers west of Bishkek, the woman described cases of allergies, hair loss, and high blood pressure that residents associated with the refinery. Japarov defended keeping the plant open, saying Kyrgyzstan needed to develop its industries and produce more of its own fuel. In a November 11 response, Junda said its modernization project was nearing completion. It is installing a vapor recovery system that the company says will capture petroleum vapors during storage and transport and return them to production. It also plans to plant trees on about two hectares of refinery land in spring 2027. Kyrgyzstan is trying to reduce its reliance on Russian gasoline and diesel by refining more crude at home. Junda is the country’s largest refinery, with the capacity to process 800,000 metric tons of crude oil a year. The upgraded plant is expected to produce K4- and K5-grade fuels, which have tighter limits on sulfur content. At full capacity, the company says the plant could meet more than 35% of domestic demand for fuels and lubricants. The refinery began producing fuel in 2014, shut down in early 2020, and resumed operations in 2024. Residents had complained repeatedly about odors and air pollution before the shutdown. The locally registered operator, China Petrol Company Junda, is 99% owned by China’s Central Asia Energy Company. Kara-Balta’s DaDe Service Company holds the remaining 1%. Estimates for the upgrade rose from about USD 160 million in 2024 to USD 167 million in 2025. Kyrgyzstan’s National Investment Agency now puts the investment at USD 193.75 million. The project missed its July 31, 2026, completion deadline. On August 25, the agency and the Chinese investor signed an agreement for the next phase. At an October 9 briefing, an environmental inspector said the work was expected to finish by April 2027. Officials at the briefing also said inspections prompted by residents’ complaints had resulted in two fines and orders to correct violations. After visiting the refinery on November 11, agency head Ravshanbek Sabirov called on the investor to meet its commitments. The agency gave no date for the upgraded plant to enter service. The new fuel standards do not, by themselves, establish whether residents will breathe cleaner air. In September, Kyrgyzstan’s environment ministry published air quality readings for Kara-Balta. Some spring readings for nitrogen dioxide exceeded the daily average limit, while sulfur dioxide remained within the limit in spring and summer. The ministry did not trace the pollution to Junda. The company’s response cited no independent measurements of its emissions or medical studies assessing residents’ symptoms.