ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 20. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for the accelerated implementation of key energy projects to ensure the stability of the national power system, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh president.
Speaking at the 5th session of the National Kurultai, Tokayev stated that the agenda includes the fast-tracked construction of new combined heat and power plants (CHPs) in Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk. He acknowledged that decisions on these projects have been delayed, despite strong public expectations.
The president also directed the relevant authorities to ensure the timely completion of the power plant in Kurchatov, the activation of additional generating units at Ekibastuz GRES-2, and the commencement of construction on Ekibastuz GRES-3.
Tokayev emphasized the necessity of rapidly implementing balancing capacities, particularly through gas-fired generation, to enhance the resilience of the national energy system.
He further underscored the need to bolster Kazakhstan's natural gas potential by exploring new reserves, as current gas production is insufficient to meet the growing demands of the economy. He pointed out that gas imports had risen by 18 percent last year, reaching 4.5 billion cubic meters, while the pace of developing new gas fields has been alarmingly slow.
The president characterized the current situation as a direct consequence of inadequate planning, stressing that such an approach is unacceptable, particularly in the face of the nation's current extraordinary circumstances.