Kazakhstan Has Decided To Refuse Russia's Services
- 15.07.2025, 16:41
The country will build the CHP itself.
Kazakhstan began to independently implement the project on construction of combined heat and power plants (CHP) in three cities of the country, said the Prime Minister of the country Olzhas Bektenov. Initially, Astana agreed with Russia on the construction of the facilities, which was estimated at $2.7 billion, the head of the government recalled, writes The Moscow Times.
"So far we have not received precise information about the provision of guaranteed cheap financing from the Russian side, so in Kokshetau we have already started to build by our own efforts, without turning to anyone," Bektenov said at a press conference in the government.
The other two CHPPs - in Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk with a capacity of 360 MW each (in Kokshetau - 240 MW) - Kazakhstan is still waiting for a response from the Russian side, the prime minister said. "If there is no response in the near future, we will also consider options for independent implementation of these projects," he said, noting that the authorities cannot afford to wait for a long time, as "we need both heat and electricity."
Agreement on the construction of cogeneration plants in Kazakhstan was concluded in November 2023 during the visit of President Vladimir Putin to the country. The memorandum was signed by the Ministries of Energy of the two states.
In 2024, Moscow and Astana signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of facilities. Inter RAO was to be the general contractor, and the main types of work were entrusted to contractors. According to the agreement, the financing of the project, which was estimated at $2.7 billion, was to be provided by Russian banks. They were to provide loans for 15 years.
In late May, Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar reported difficulties in financing the project. "There is a problem on subsidizing the interest rate on the equipment, so we are now continuing negotiations when this issue will be resolved. The investor may change, of course, if Russia does not allocate funds," he said.
Last week, Kazakhstan's Deputy Energy Minister Bakhytzhan Ilyasov said the search for investors was still underway. According to him, Astana may attract energy companies from China and Korea for this purpose.