60 percent of Almaty heating network worn out

60 percent of Almaty’s heating network is worn out, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Mikhail Korzhov, Director General of Almaty Zhylu Holding. According to Korzhov, all Almaty city’s heating networks were tested prior to this year’s heating season. Despite of that, some residents were left without heating after several accidents. At night on December 17 a blowout happened at the heating network section on Promyshlennaya street in Zhetyssu region of Almaty. Some of the city residents were left without heating and 9 people were injured. The blowout was caused by wear-out of the pipeline put into operation in 1978. In the second accident at 12:29 p.m. on December 18 the pipeline blew out in the area of Sain-Kabdolov streets and caused a heating switch off in over 400 city facilities. According to Almaty Emergency Situations Department, the accident was eliminated in the morning of December 19. According to Director General, the blow out was caused by the pipeline wear-out, as it was built in 1986. According to Korzhov, representatives of Almaty Zhylu Holding are currently checking and analyzing the condition of the heating pipeline. He promised that the road section dug up to repair the pipe will be restored to usable condition tonight. The company plans to increase financing of repair works and restoration of the heating networks. 22km of the pipeline were renovated this year. The plans for the next year are being drawn now. An average life period of the pipelines currently in use makes 25 years but the new pipes being installed nowadays have the life period of 40 years.