Energy Infrastructure - The Times Of Central Asia

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Electricity supply

Kazakhstan Targets End to Electricity Deficit by 2027

Just days after a major disruption hit power systems across Central Asia, Kazakhstan reaffirmed its plan to fully cover domestic electricity demand by the first quarter of 2027. By the end of next year, the Energy Ministry expects the country to have a surplus of about 1.3 billion kWh. That margin would still leave relatively little room for error because it is equivalent to only about 1% of the electricity Kazakhstan consumed in 2025, when demand grew by 3.8%. The August 14 outage affected parts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Power was cut to some consumers in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, which has a population of about 2.4 million. The precise chain of events remains unclear. Kazakhstan’s national grid operator KEGOC said the disruption began when two hydrogenerators at Kyrgyzstan’s Toktogul Hydropower Plant shut down, sharply changing power flows and overloading Kazakhstan’s North-East-South transmission corridor. Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Ministry later acknowledged that the Toktogul shutdown was the initial disturbance but said it should not automatically be treated as the direct cause of the subsequent outages elsewhere in Central Asia. A special commission is investigating the incident, although public statements so far have not identified its chair. The outage exposed a risk in regional grid connections. Kazakhstan’s grid is connected to Russia and neighboring Central Asian systems. These links allow electricity to move across borders, but a sudden loss of generation or a major transmission failure can also affect several countries in quick succession. Kazakhstan has been a net electricity importer for several years. In 2025, the country generated 123.1 billion kWh and consumed 124.6 billion kWh. Electricity imports from Russia totaled 4.64 billion kWh, compared with exports of 2.16 billion kWh in the opposite direction. The net inflow from Russia fell from 3.41 billion kWh in 2024 to 2.48 billion kWh in 2025. Electricity consumption increased by 3.8% in 2025, while peak demand reached a record 17.724 GW on December 18. Kazakhstan is also seeking to attract energy-intensive industries and large data centers. Those expectations are reflected in longer-term development plans, which already include 7.8 GW of new and modernized coal-fired generation by 2030, with investment estimated at more than $15.5 billion. The authorities expect to close the remaining short-term deficit by rapidly commissioning new generating capacity. Around 2.6 GW is scheduled to come online in 2026. Four gas-fired power plants and expansion projects at two existing power stations account for part of that capacity, while ten new renewable energy facilities are also planned. The Energy Ministry says these projects should allow Kazakhstan to fully meet its electricity needs by the end of the first quarter of 2027. A further 845 MW is planned for 2027, of which 570 MW would come from renewable projects. By the end of that year, the ministry expects an electricity surplus of around 1.3 billion kWh. Renewable energy is expanding alongside Kazakhstan’s continued reliance on conventional generation. Thermal power plants accounted for 74.4% of electricity generation in 2025. Solar and wind facilities, along with biogas plants, provided 6.1%. The...

AI Data Center

Kazakhstan Says $10 Billion AI Data Center Project Is Moving Into Deployment

Kazakhstan says a $10 billion AI data center project in Ekibastuz is moving into deployment. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov told President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on July 13 that partners were rolling out 250 megawatts of infrastructure. He said the project had attracted more than $10 billion in foreign investment. The statement gives firmer shape to a plan announced only six months ago. The northern-eastern Kazakh city of Ekibastuz grew around coal mines and giant power stations, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, jobs disappeared, leaving the city to live in the shadow of its industrial peak. It has shared the wider population decline across the country’s north and east: despite fresh investment, the city lost more than 1,000 residents during 2025. The government now wants the city to export computing power as well as electricity, using its industrial grid to draw global AI companies to northern Kazakhstan. The site has moved beyond planning documents. By May 25, crews had completed geodetic work and started engineering and geological surveys. Workers were excavating pits for modular blocks, while equipment and personnel had reached the site. Tokayev announced the Data Center Valley in January as part of Kazakhstan's wider digital drive. The first 125 MW center is due in the first half of 2027, with a second facility of the same size planned for 2028. Bektenov has said all government data now sits in a 6 MW center in Astana, which shows the jump in scale. Those first two centers are only the beginning of a much larger development. Pavlodar officials have allocated 177 hectares, including 124.4 hectares for the opening phase. They expect later centers to enter service between 2029 and 2033, with up to ten facilities across the completed cluster. The site could eventually reach 1 GW, while an earlier government estimate put total investment near $30 billion. The first center will draw power from an existing 215 MW substation. Across the wider development, officials say 300 MW is already available, with capacity eventually rising to 1 GW. The Satpayev Canal will supply water for staff and site operations, with daily use estimated at 2,300 cubic meters. Separate reserves will be kept for fire protection. NVIDIA Vice President Rev Lebaredian put the case plainly in June: “Everything begins with energy. If you do not have energy, you cannot build the rest.” He added that Kazakhstan had energy “in abundance.” In Ekibastuz, cold that once made industrial life harder is being recast as a commercial advantage. The harsh winters can help cool server halls that produce vast amounts of heat. The planned Trans-Caspian fiber cable would then link the city’s abundant power to a faster international data route. That promise is still built on coal. Thermal plants generated 74.4% of Kazakhstan’s electricity in 2025, with the country still importing nearly 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours from Russia to cover the shortfall. A 250 MW data-center complex running day and night would consume about 2.19 billion kilowatt-hours a year, roughly 1.8% of Kazakhstan’s total...

Energy Infrastructure

Kyrgyzstan Expands Issyk-Kul Energy Infrastructure Ahead of SCO Summit

Kyrgyzstan has launched a large-scale modernization of energy infrastructure in the Issyk-Kul region as part of preparations for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, scheduled to take place this autumn in Cholpon-Ata. According to the Energy Ministry, authorities are upgrading power grids, expanding substation capacity, and installing new transformers across the region. In several villages in the Issyk-Kul region, self-supporting insulated wires are being installed to improve reliability and safety while reducing maintenance costs. Aging power networks are also being replaced. Particular attention is being given to the village of Baktuu Dolonotu near Cholpon-Ata, where some summit-related events are expected to take place. “Under the project, the existing 10 and 16 Megavolt-Ampere (MVA) transformers will be replaced with two new 40 MVA transformers, creating a modern high-capacity substation. The equipment has already been delivered, and preparations for installation are underway,” the ministry said. The modernization drive is also linked to the development of tourism infrastructure in the region. Several major projects are underway in Issyk-Kul, including the Ala-Too Resort ski complex and tourism facilities in the Jyrgalan Valley. To supply electricity to these new facilities, authorities are constructing a 110 kV transmission line from Karakol to Jyrgalan and replacing existing 35 kV overhead lines with underground cable systems. According to the Energy Ministry, trenches extending more than 100 kilometers have already been prepared for the new transmission line. Last year, a new substation was commissioned in the region, and 12.8 kilometers of cable lines were laid. “Work on the electricity supply for the cable car at the Ala-Too Resort ski base has been completed one hundred percent. The cable car could be launched right now,” Aslan Ibraev, deputy director of the Issyk-Kul Electric Grid Enterprise, told The Times of Central Asia. According to Ibraev, the first phase of infrastructure work for the ski resort has already been completed. “In total, we installed four transformer substations in Jyrgalan and laid 60 kilometers of underground electric cables,” he added. Kyrgyz authorities say the infrastructure upgrades are intended not only to ensure the successful hosting of international events, but also to support the long-term development of the region’s tourism sector. Construction of the ski resort is expected to be completed later this year. Authorities have also begun selling land plots for new tourism facilities near the resort area.

Nuclear Power Plant

Uzbekistan Launches First Concrete Works at Planned Nuclear Power Plant

Construction of Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant has entered a new phase, with initial concrete works officially launched at the project site in the Farish district of the Jizzakh Region, according to the country’s Atomic Energy Agency, Uzatom. The milestone was marked on March 24 during simultaneous ceremonies held in Tashkent and at the construction site. During the events, Uzatom and Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom signed a number of strategic documents, formally advancing the project to the stage of practical implementation. Among the agreements were a cooperation roadmap covering nuclear and related sectors, as well as an addendum to the contract for the construction of an integrated nuclear power facility in Uzbekistan. The documents were signed by Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev and Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev. According to Uzatom, the roadmap outlines cooperation in areas such as project implementation phases, workforce training, public engagement on nuclear energy, and the development of infrastructure for a future town for plant personnel. Uzbek officials said the agreement establishes a comprehensive partnership expected to contribute to both economic and social development. At the construction site, work has begun on laying the concrete foundation beneath the reactor building for a small modular unit using the RITM-200N design. Approximately 900 cubic meters of concrete are scheduled to be poured, with this stage expected to be completed by April 2026. The foundation will incorporate the waterproofing and grounding systems required for the reactor structure. The updated configuration of the plant involves two large power units equipped with Generation III+ VVER-1000 reactors, as well as two smaller units using RITM-200N reactors, each with a capacity of 55 MW. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to generate around 15.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, more than 15% of Uzbekistan’s current power consumption. Uzatom stated that regulatory approval for use of the site has already been granted following safety assessments that identified no significant risks related to seismic activity, tectonic faults, or karst formations. The agency said the location meets nuclear, environmental, and technical safety requirements. “The start of concrete works marks an important step in implementing Uzbekistan’s national nuclear energy program,” Akhmedkhadjaev said, adding that the project is proceeding in line with established timelines and safety standards. Separately, Uzatom confirmed that a mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to visit Uzbekistan in the second half of 2026 to assess progress on the project.

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Tajikistan Plans Over $1 Billion for Rogun Hydropower Project in 2026

The government of Tajikistan plans to allocate at least 10 billion TJS (more than $1 billion) to finance the Rogun hydropower project in 2026, Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda said on February 13 at a press conference in Dushanbe. The statement was later released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by Asia-Plus. Qahhorzoda specified that 8.2 billion TJS has already been earmarked in the state budget for completion of the Rogun hydropower plant. He added that additional financing could be mobilized through development partners, as agreements have been signed and the required domestic procedures and partner conditions have been fulfilled. “Certain conditions had to be met by the government of Tajikistan to access these funds. All conditions have been completed, and financing under the first tranche of $350 million has begun,” the minister said, referring to grant funding from the World Bank. He added that negotiations for an additional $300 million from the institution have been concluded successfully, with the funds expected to become available by mid-year. The minister also stated that domestic procedures are being finalized to attract $150 million from the Islamic Development Bank, as well as $100 million each from the Saudi Fund for Development, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, and the OPEC Fund for International Development. According to Qahhorzoda, the remaining step is the completion of tender procedures. In addition, all procedures have reportedly been completed to secure $500 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, of which $270 million is expected to be disbursed in the first tranche. According to the Finance Ministry, approximately 11 billion TJS was allocated in 2025 for the completion of Rogun, including 2 billion TJS designated for servicing Eurobonds issued to support the project. Earlier, at the end of January, the Energy Ministry stated during a separate press conference that several financing agreements signed with international partners in 2024-2025 had already entered into force. Officials noted that activating these agreements required fulfilling a number of technical and procedural conditions. The Rogun hydropower plant, located 110 kilometers from Dushanbe on the Vakhsh River, is the largest energy project in Tajikistan. Construction began in 1976 but was suspended following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Work resumed after independence. Of the six planned generating units, each with a capacity of 600 MW, two are currently operational and had produced 9.9 billion kWh of electricity by the end of last year. In December 2025, President Emomali Rahmon announced that the third unit is scheduled to be commissioned in September 2027. Once all six units are operational, the plant’s total installed capacity will reach 3.78 GW, and its 335-meter dam is projected to become the tallest in the world. The total cost of construction has been estimated at $6.2 billion.

Energy Infrastructure

Why Workers Are Leaving the Çalık Enerji Power Plant Construction Site in Turkmenistan

One of Turkmenistan’s largest combined-cycle power plants is currently under construction on the Caspian coast. Despite offering record-high wages by local standards, the site is experiencing persistent staff turnover. The project is being led by the Turkish company Çalık Enerji, which is building a 1,574 MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in the village of Kiyanly in Turkmenistan’s Balkan region. While the workforce is largely made up of local residents, retaining staff has proven difficult. According to former workers, even unskilled laborers can earn up to $2,856 per month, an exceptionally high salary for the region. This has attracted a steady stream of job seekers. However, many employees say the pay does not adequately compensate for the harsh realities of working on-site. The primary reason cited for resignations is the extreme natural environment. The construction site lies between the Caspian Sea and an open expanse of steppe, where strong winds are a near-constant presence. Conditions worsen in winter, when workers endure eight-hour shifts outdoors in cold and windy weather, conditions that many find intolerable beyond a few months. In addition to environmental challenges, workers point to strained relations with site management and internal conflicts among staff. They describe a lack of mutual trust between workers and middle managers, as well as growing tensions within crews. Some have also reported interethnic clashes, particularly between Turkmen and Azerbaijani workers, despite both groups being Turkmenistani citizens residing in the same region. These disputes have occasionally escalated into physical altercations, further contributing to resignations. Çalık Enerji signed a contract with the state-owned utility Turkmenenergo to carry out the Kiyanly project. The power plant will feature two units equipped with 9F.04 gas turbines, each with a capacity of 288 MW, and a D12 steam turbine produced by GE Vernova.