Kazakhstan plans to generate 109 billion kWh of electricity in 2021

In 2020, Kazakhstan generated 108 billion kWh of electricity with consumption at the level of 107.3 billion, which indicates that the country's needs for electricity are fully met. The plans for 2021 are the production of 109 billion kWh of electricity, Energy Minister Nurlan Nogayev said during a meeting of the expanded board of the department.

As Nogayev said, the volume of investment attracted within the capacity market in the power generation sector last year amounted to more than 82 billion tenge.

At the expense of the republican budget, in 2020, 24 projects were implemented in the amount of 31.4 billion tenge, of which 6 projects were completed (the amount is 3.6 billion tenge).

“The implementation of 6 projects made it possible to provide a reliable and uninterrupted power supply for about 120 thousand people, heat supply for about - 18.1 thousand people and 10 social facilities. Tax revenues to the budget amount to more than 5 billion tenge, ”Nogayev explained.

It is noted that during the construction, 902 jobs were created, including 184 permanent ones.

To increase investment in the industry, the ministry increased the maximum permissible limit from 10 to 30 billion tenge per year for the modernization, reconstruction and renovation of power plants.

The plans for 2021 are the production of 109 billion kWh of electricity. Also, the department will continue to stimulate the construction of flexible capacities and the implementation of the hydropower development plan.

Along with this, the Ministry of Energy developed and approved a plan for the siting of generating plants with a flexible generation mode with the definition of a zone, type of power plant, the required volumes of flexible capacities in the zone of the Unified Power System of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

“The development of flexible capacities is a prerequisite for ensuring the country's energy security, given the growing consumption of electricity and the share of alternative and renewable types of energy in the energy balance,” stressed the Minister of Energy.

According to the plan, promising sites for the construction of flexible capacities have been identified, and at the end of 2021, it is planned to hold an auction to select investment projects.