“Alakol in the dark“: recurring power outages frustrate visitors at popular resort

Tengrinews.kz - Tourists and locals at the Alakol resort have raised concerns over frequent and unannounced power outages disrupting daily life and vacation plans.

Visitors staying on the Abai region side of the lake say the electricity supply is unstable, often cutting off three to four times a day.

“The outages happen without warning and can last for several hours. Every year funds are supposedly allocated to solve this, but the situation doesn’t change. We rely on a diesel generator when the lights go out,” a reader named Bauyrzhan told Tengrinews.

According to residents and business owners, the problem becomes particularly severe during hot summer days, when lack of air conditioning and ventilation poses real discomfort and health risks.

Local response

In a comment to Tengrinews, the Makanchi district akimat (administration) acknowledged that on July 19, technical issues led to a temporary blackout on the Alakol coast.

“The issue was fully resolved on July 20. Electricity supply has been restored,” officials said.

However, visitors report that blackouts have continued beyond that date. Tengrinews has submitted further inquiries to local authorities.

The issue highlights broader concerns previously raised by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who criticized the poor infrastructure, service, and safety standards around Lake Alakol. He urged the government to take immediate action to improve conditions at one of the country’s most visited tourist destinations.