ASTANA, Kazakhstan, November 12. The major reconstruction of the Kargaly reservoir, the largest water reservoir in Kazakhstan's Aktobe region, will begin next year, Trend reports via the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan.
The Aktobe branch of the Kazvodkhoz state enterprise, in cooperation with the Committee for Water Resources, has commenced the development of project documentation for the reconstruction of the reservoir. The planning phase is expected to be completed by spring next year.
Construction and installation work is scheduled to start in 2026, immediately after the project undergoes state expertise approval.
As part of the reconstruction, all outdated mechanisms at the reservoir will be replaced, some of which have been in operation for nearly 50 years. The project also includes the installation of a small hydropower plant to generate electricity for the facility's hydro-technical structures. Surplus electricity is planned to be sold to local businesses and nearby settlements.
“This project will complete the comprehensive renovation of the three largest reservoirs in the Aktobe region. Last year, we completed the first reconstruction of the Aktobe reservoir on the Ilek river in 36 years, and the capital repairs of the Sazdinsky reservoir are nearing completion,” said Rinat Shauenov, director of the Aktobe branch of Kazvodkhoz.
The Kargaly, which was commissioned in 1975, has a storage capacity of up to 280 million cubic meters of water.