Astana, Kazakhstan, Nov.12
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has signed a Law 'On ratification of the protocol between the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the government of the Korean Republic on amendments to the agreement between the government of Kazakhstan and the government of Korean Republic in the sphere of development, financing, designing, construction, commissioning and maintenance of Balkhash thermal power plant from August 25 2011', the Kazakh president's press service said.
It was earlier reported that the construction of Balkhash TPP is an important project for reducing the energy shortage in the southern regions and lowering their energy dependence.
The construction of the first module of Balkhash TPP in Kazakhstan was planned to start in 2012. However, currently only preparation work is being carried out.
"The executor of the Samruk-Energo JSC project has created a Joint Venture (JV) with South Korean companies such as Sumsung and Kepko. Currently work is being carried out to prepare a site that includes the construction of a water treatment plant and a working site," the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev said at a briefing at the Central Communications Service under the President of Kazakhstan in November.
According to Issekeshev, when referring to the delay in the construction of Balkhash TPP, the President of the Samruk-Energo JSC, Almasadam Satkaliyev reprimanded the company's first vice-president for failure to work on time at the commencement of construction.
The cost of construction of the first module of Balkhash TPP with a capacity of 1300 megawatts is approximately $2.3 billion.