Astana (TDI): The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has committed a €267 million financing package to the Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) to bolster the country’s power grid reliability.
The funding consists of a €252 million loan from the EBRD and a €15 million concessional loan from the Government of Canada.
This financial support will enable KEGOC, which manages over 27,800 kilometers of transmission lines, to construct around 600 kilometers of 500 kV transmission infrastructure, connecting the West Kazakhstan Power System to the unified national grid.
This initiative is part of Kazakhstan’s long-term decarbonization strategy, aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in the power sector by 2060.
It will enhance the power supply in western Kazakhstan and facilitate the integration of up to 12 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Kazakhstan’s Power Grid
Currently, the country’s power grid is divided into three separate systems.
While the northern and southern grids were connected in 2004, the West Kazakhstan Power System remains isolated.
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The new project will include the construction of a 500 kV power line and substation, as well as upgrades to existing substations to improve domestic interconnections and power supply reliability in the region.
In addition to infrastructure upgrades, the project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by over 200,000 tons annually.
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It also benefits from grant funding from Japan and technical support from the EBRD, including the introduction of digital technologies and enhanced cybersecurity measures for the grid, alongside gender-responsive training programs.
