Kazakhstan reports surplus of power in first half of 2024

According to the Ministry of Energy’s report on its performance from January to June, Kazakhstan produced more energy than consumers needed in the first half of the year. Previously, officials and industry representatives had warned multiple times about the threat of power shortages.

The ministry reported that the country produced 60.4 billion kilowatts per hour while consuming 60.2 billion kilowatts per hour over the first six months of the year.

«This data shows that our grid infrastructure has been operating smoothly,» the agency highlighted.

In 2023, Kazakhstan struggled with power shortages, according to Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev. Consumption reached 115 billion kilowatts per hour, while the total amount of energy produced in the country was just 112.8 billion kilowatts per hour (compared to 112.9 billion kilowatts per hour in the year prior). In this situation, the country purchased 3.4 billion kilowatts per hour from abroad and exported 1.4 billion kilowatts.

As of early 2024, Kazakhstani power stations had a total capacity of 20.4 gigawatts, a working capacity of 15.4 gigawatts and an average depreciation rate of 56%. During the last heating season, the peak level of power consumption was 16.6 gigawatts, while peak power production was 15.1 gigawatts.

In the upcoming heating season of 2024-2025, a nonrecurrent deficit of generating capacities is expected to reach 1.025 gigawatts, according to CEO of Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) Nabi Aitzhanov. Usually, Kazakhstan offsets power shortages with the import of electricity from Russia.