Mongolia’s Energy Wake-up Call
- Amar Adiya
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
On June 2, a fire devastated the high-pressure turbine hall at Ulaanbaatar’s Thermal Power Plant No. 3 (TPP-3), crippling a facility responsible for almost one-third of the city’s district heating and 13% of its electricity.
The immediate impact: Ulaanbaatar faces a looming winter heating crisis. Beyond technical failure, the incident highlights years of underinvestment, politically driven tariff suppression, and systemic neglect. Replacing the turbine may cost USD 100 million and take at least 24 months, a time Mongolia doesn’t have, with sub-zero temperatures approaching in under four months.
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