As part of his working trip to the Ulytau Region, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov inspected the implementation of the President’s instructions regarding the modernization of energy and utility infrastructure.

At the Zhezkazgan CHP plant site, the Prime Minister reviewed the progress of the station’s renovation project in preparation for the upcoming 2025–2026 heating season. As part of the President’s directive to modernize heat sources, the Zhezkazgan CHP plant was removed from the "red zone" in 2024 due to the reduced wear of equipment following major repairs of the boiler and turbine units in 2023–2024.

The power plant, with an installed capacity of 252 MW and thermal capacity of 564 Gcal/h, currently supplies 175 MW of electricity and 363 Gcal/h of heat. Both industrial enterprises and the population are provided with electricity and heat.

General Director of Kazakhmys Energy LLP Temirlan Utegenov reported that in order to reduce technical wear, major and routine repairs were carried out on key equipment, including two boilers and two turbines. Work is currently ongoing on Boiler No. 7 and Turbine No. 7.

“By order of the President, we are conducting large-scale modernization of the Zhezkazgan CHP plant. Work is being carried out under the ‘Tariff in Exchange for Investment’ program. Tariffs are currently quite profitable; no sections of the station are operating at a loss. This year, we also raised employee salaries — an increase of 10 to 15%. We are starting the planning phase for the construction of a residential building for young families to reduce staff turnover at the Zhezkazgan site. We plan to begin construction in 2026,” Temirlan Utegenov noted.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to ensuring sustainable energy supply. To meet electricity demand and improve grid flexibility, construction has begun on a 75 MW combined-cycle gas turbine unit on the CHP plant site. The project will create 80 new jobs.

During his working visit, Olzhas Bektenov also examined the progress of the modernization of Zhezkazgan’s domestic drinking water treatment facilities. City Akim Kairat Shaizhanov reported that the second phase, which includes the implementation of reverse osmosis membrane technology with a capacity of 66,000 m³ per day, is nearing completion. The overall project readiness stands at 47%, with completion expected by the end of 2026. Implementation of the project will ensure stable and high-quality water supply to Zhezkazgan and reduce the wear of the treatment facilities from 90% to 37%. It was noted that the region's water supply relies on both surface and underground sources — the Kengir Reservoir and the Uytas-Aidos deposit. The production capacity of the treatment facilities is 124,000 m³ per day.

The Prime Minister was also presented with accompanying projects aimed at modernizing the entire water supply system, including the reconstruction of pumping stations, the Eskulin water pipeline, and water intake facilities.

According to the Akimat, the modernization project for the domestic drinking water treatment facilities is currently 125 days behind schedule due to the low intensity of repair work caused by a lack of workers — around 30 instead of the planned 300+. The Prime Minister instructed that immediate measures be taken against the contractor and that the project be completed on time according to the specified quality standards.

“Reliable heat and electricity supply and quality drinking water are key objectives set by the President for ensuring vital services and the sustainable development of the regions. All infrastructure projects must be completed within the established timeframes. Responsibility lies with both the Akimats and the relevant state bodies, who must ensure proper oversight at every stage,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

Following the working trip, the Prime Minister issued a number of instructions to ensure the timely completion of all infrastructure projects, as well as to work on financing future stages of reconstruction.

#Olzhas Bektenov #The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Energy #Infrastructural development #President's instruction

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