At a meeting of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, KEGOC JSC set out how the country's Unified Power System is being prepared for the coming 2026-2027 autumn-winter period (AWP). The Company presented the forecast capacity balance and reported on progress with its maintenance programme and with key projects to reinforce the National Power Grid.
The System Operator forecasts peak demand in Kazakhstan's Unified Power System at around 18,200 MW this coming AWP, 480 MW or 2.7% more than a year earlier. Electricity consumption is expected to rise by 2 billion kWh and generation by 2.1 billion kWh.
The Southern power zone received particular attention. Peak load there is forecast at 5,100 MW, 700 MW more than last winter. Generation within the zone, including new capacity due to come online, should reach some 2,800 MW, with the balance met by flows over the North-East-South transit lines.
To keep supply to consumers in southern Kazakhstan secure, KEGOC JSC pointed to the need to bring the planned generating capacity at Almaty CHPP-2 and CHPP-3 and the first phase of the Turkestan CCGT plant online on schedule, to complete repairs to generating and grid equipment, and to keep the required number of units running at the country's major power plants.
Meanwhile, KEGOC JSC is pressing ahead with its own maintenance programme. Work is planned at 589 facilities in 2026 at a total cost of KZT 4.1 billion, covering 100 transmission lines, 38 items of substation equipment, 107 buildings and structures, 337 vehicles and 7 other fixed assets. The work is running to the approved schedule.
The investment programme accounts for a further substantial volume of work, led by two major infrastructure projects: reinforcing the grid in the Southern zone of Kazakhstan's Unified Power System and connecting the Western Kazakhstan power system to it.
Under the Southern zone project, construction of the 500 kV Shu-Zhambyl and Zhambyl-Shymkent lines is continuing, along with the expansion of three substations. Under the Western zone project, work is under way at the Olke and Karabatan substations and on the 500 kV Olke-Karabatan line. Both projects have been accelerated and are running ahead of their original schedules.
KEGOC JSC will continue preparing the National Power Grid for the coming AWP and monitoring operating conditions across Kazakhstan's Unified Power System to keep supply to consumers secure through the autumn-winter peak.