New wind power plants to appear in Kostanay region

В Костанайской области планируют запустить несколько ветровых электростанций на 1 ГВт

Several new wind power plants with a combined output of one gigawatt are planned for construction in the Kostanay region / Photo: The administration of the Kostanay region

The governor’s office of the Kostanay region has announced plans to build 165 wind power plants with a total capacity of one gigawatt (GW).

“Kumar Aksakalov, governor of the Kostanay region, has signed a memorandum to construct 165 wind power stations with a combined output of 1 GW. This marks a key step towards energy independence for the region, which is currently facing an electricity shortage for its industrial needs,” the statement read.

Current energy consumption in the Kostanay region is 0.45 GW, while local production lags significantly, generating only 0.12 GW. The governor’s office anticipated the implementation of all projects that would not only break the dependency but also greatly increase electricity production.

«In addition, the new facilities will not only be able to produce electricity but also accumulate energy in batteries with a total capacity of 300 megawatts (MW),» the governor’s office pointed out in the statement.

The agency also emphasized that renewable energy sources like wind are not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective. In some parts of the Kostanay region, the use of wind turbines might be quite effective due to constant winds, making the area an attractive option for wind farm development. However, the governor’s office has not yet revealed the cost of building these wind farms or the potential tariffs for electricity generated by them.

The launch of the new wind power stations is expected to bring in new investments and create jobs across the region. A similar project was earlier completed in Arkalyk, a town within the Kostanay region, where a 48 MW wind power plant was established.

Over the past nine months, renewable energy sources in Kazakhstan have generated approximately 5.8 billion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 6.67% of the country’s total energy production. This represents an 18% increase compared to the output from January to September last year. Kazakhstan aims to raise the share of renewable energy to 15% by 2030.