World-famous hotels to open in Astana before EXPO-2017

World-famous hotels will be built in Astana prior to the EXPO-2017 international exhibition, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Astana Akim (Mayor) Imangali Tasmagambetov as saying at the meeting with the citizens. “The capital’s architecture will get such significant buildings like opera and ballet theater, library and First President’s Fund, National Defense University, domed city, Abu-Dhabi Plaza multi-functional complex, Hilton, Marriot, Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons hotels, as well as ice palace and martial arts palace for 5 thousand seats,” Imangali Tasmagambetov said. According to him, the international contest for design of the EXPO village has been launched. The project will be coordinated with the International Exhibitions Bureau in October 2013 and its construction will start in the beginning of 2014. “Astana’s energy complex will get new capacities of 240 MW of power and 1,080 gigacalories of heat energy by 2017. Starting from October 2008 the thermal power plant No.1 has been implementing a reconstruction project that will decrease the fuel consumption per generated heat ratio and increase the performance of the plant in general. The project is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2016. "The project of expansion and reconstruction of the thermal power plant No.2 has been implemented since 2009. The first stage included construction of the water boiler, which allowed to cover the existing deficit of heat and ensure uninterrupted operation of the city’s heating system. Thanks to that, a comfortable temperature was maintained in the citizens’ apartments even at minus 40 degrees Centigrade outside temperatures. The second stage will be completed by 2017 and will include gradual introduction of four water boilers and two turbine generating units. Besides, the plan is going to build 26km of heating lines from the thermal power plant No.2 to the EXPO area,” Astana Akim said.