ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 2. Kazakhstan plans to modernize the Balkhash thermal power plant, Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliev told reporters, Trend reports.
"Today, all 20 single-industry towns have electricity and heat. Today, two initiatives are being implemented. One of them is the "Restoration of the boiler unit and replacement of the turbine unit at the Stepnogorsk TPP" project, which will cost 25 billion tenge. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2026. It is also proposed to modernize the Balkhash thermal power plant for a total cost of 27.2 billion tenge (approximately $60.2 million)," he said.
According to the minister, the Balkhash thermal power plant modernization project is scheduled to end in 2027.
Furthermore, Satkaliyev stated that in the near future, at the expense of the republican budget in Lisakovsk, the project "Construction of a gas piston unit for the own needs of the central city boiler house" with a total cost of 858 million tenge (approximately $1.9 million) with completion in 2025 will be implemented.
"Implementing these projects will cover the heat load in single-industry towns, increase the quality and reliability of heat delivery to customers by updating the main and auxiliary equipment of thermal power plants, and assure the commissioning of additional energy capacity," the minister said.
Speaking about the provision of gas to single-industry towns, Satkalieyv noted that 9 out of 20 single-industry towns in Kazakhstan currently have access to gas.
"Of these, five cities are 100 percent supplied with gas: Khromtau, Kulsary, Aksai, Lisakovsk, and Zhanaozen. Three cities - by 50-90 percent: Rudny, Jitiqara and Kentau. Temirtau has less than 10 percent gas supply," he concluded.