A new 60 MW wind power plant (WPP) has been commissioned in Kazakhstan. The energy facility was built in the Yenbekshikazakh district of the Almaty region in the so-called Shelek corridor, a unique region for the development of renewable energy potential.
The cost of the project is 37.4 bn. tenge. The new station includes 24 wind turbines, each with a nominal capacity of 2.5 MW. Moreover, a substation, the accompanying infrastructure, as well as overhead power lines were installed in the plant. The plant was built using equipment from GoldWind, one of the world's leading manufacturers of wind turbines.
The new wind farm will generate 225.7 million kWh of electricity annually. In addition to operating characteristics, the project is crucial for the region because of its environmental component. The construction and launch of the power plant will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 206 thousand tons, and will also replace about 89 thousand tons of reference fuel per year.
The project was implemented by the Kazakh electric power holding “Samruk-Energy” JSC in partnership with the Chinese corporation Power China and is a successful example of international cooperation in the power sector.
The ceremony of launching a new wind farm in the Shelek corridor was held with the participation of the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Mayor of Almaty Region, the head of Samruk-Kazyna Fund, representatives of the Chinese Consulate General in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Power China Corporation, “Samruk-Energy” JSC, “Energia Semirechya” LLP ".
The online teleconference project was launched by Bolat Akchulakov, the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Almassadam Satkaliyev, the Chairman of the Board of “Samruk-Kazyna” JSC
As part of the wind farm commissioning activities, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between “Samruk-Kazyna” JSC and Power Construction Corporation of China Ltd. The document says that the second phase of the project is planned to be implemented with the expansion of the station and an increase in its capacity to 300 MW.
The head of the Samruk-Kazyna Fund expressed gratitude to all participants in the project implementation. Addressing the Chinese partners, he noted that over the years of independence, our countries have managed to achieve a level of strategic partnership and alliance based on a solid foundation of peoples' friendship and mutual trust. “I am sure that the WPP project in the Shelek corridor will become another example of a successful partnership with China in the current relevant issue of ensuring energy security and developing alternative energy sources. The 60 MW power plant with further expansion to 300 MW will provide clean electricity to the south-eastern regions of Kazakhstan,” Almassadam Satkaliyev noted.
At the stage of construction of a new power facility, 300 people were provided with jobs. 14 specialists were trained and employed for further operation of the station.
As the experts of “Samruk-Energy” JSC noted, despite the energy capacities currently operating in Almaty and the region - Almaty CHP, Kapshagay and Almaty Cascade HPPs, Zhambyl GRES, as well as Issyk, Moynak, Kataral, Taldykorgan HPPs - the region is energy deficient and has not sufficient own fuel resources. Due to the lack of generating capacities, the region's need for electricity is covered by its own energy sources only by 50%. The deficit is made up of external energy producers (from the northern regions of the republic, Zhambyl GRES, and Kyrgyzstan).
According to Serik Tutebayev, acting Chairman of the Board of “Samruk-Energy” JSC, the company places an emphasis on the development of renewable energy. The energy holding currently operates 5 renewable energy facilities - solar, wind power plants, and small hydroelectric power plants. The generation of electricity by these renewable energy facilities in January-July 2022 amounted to 206.6 million kWh, which is 8.9% higher compared to the same period in 2021.
“There are many natural opportunities to produce green electricity in the Almaty region. In addition to the potential of solar and wind, Samruk-Energy focuses on the development of hydropower, as evidenced by the completed projects for the construction of the Moynak HPP and the retrofit of the Shardarinsk HPP. The company's portfolio includes several projects for the construction of new hydroelectric power plants. In particular, the construction of a counter-regulating Kerbulak HPP on the Ili River with a capacity of 40 MW, which will make it possible to equalize uneven weekly-daily releases of the Kapshagay HPP and transfer the station to cover peak loads using all available capacity.
Furthermore, the company is carrying out pre-project activities on the construction of HPP-29 on the Shelek River in order to create a source of electricity for supply to the scarce energy system of the Almaty region. In the long term, it is planned to implement a project for the reconstruction and modernization of the AlES HPP cascade in the Almaty region. The project will enable to effectively use of the hydro-technical resources of the Bolshaya Almatinka River, increasing the generation of electricity at the reconstructed HPP-1 and HPP-2,” said the head of “Samruk-Energy” JSC.
In total, according to the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as of July 2022, 142 renewable energy facilities are operating in Kazakhstan. Since the beginning of the year, 8 facilities with a total capacity of 322 MW have been put into operation in Kazakhstan. 13 facilities with a total installed capacity of 153 MW are planned to be commissioned by the end of 2022.