Full-scaled work on Balkhash thermal power plant to start in 2013-2014

Full scaled works to construct the Balkhash thermal power plant are to be launched in 2013-2014, Vice Minister of Industry and Trade Bakhytzhan Dzhaskaliyev announced November 1, Novosti Kazakhstan reports. “The actual construction will start in 2013-2014. The contest will be held next year, with all the administrative issues to be sorted out (…) The construction will take at least 5-6 years”, he told journalists. According to Mr. Dzhaskaliyev , upon completion the thermal power plant will be transferred into Kazakhstan’s ownership, “with the investors recouping the investments through sales of power”. Tengrinews.kz reported earlier that the first two power generating units of the thermal power plant are to be commissioned in 2013, with the other two units being placed into operation in 2016. The design capacity of the power plant is 2 640 megawatt. The facility will be located on the south-west shore of the Balkhash Lake close to Ekibastuz coal mine. South Korea’s KEPCO and Samsung hold 75% minus one share, with the Kazakhstan Government holding 25% plus one share. The intergovernmental agreement was initialed in October last year.