Masdar, a renewable energy company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has officially kicked off construction of a 1-gigawatt wind farm in the Zhambyl region, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy reported.
The groundbreaking ceremony, which included the placement of a commemorative time capsule, was held via teleconference. In particular, Vice Minister of Energy Sungat Yessimkhanov, Samruk-Kazyna CEO Nurlan Zhakupov and Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi sent out a signal to begin work at the construction site from Astana.
“Our partnership with Masdar is driving the development of renewable energy and supporting Kazakhstan’s progress toward carbon neutrality. This project will help strengthen the region’s energy security and bring advanced technologies to the renewable energy sector. We appreciate our partners’ commitment to investing in the country’s sustainable development, and we, in turn, will provide the necessary support to ensure the successful implementation of every stage of the project,” Sungat Yessimkhanov said.
The wind farm will be equipped with a battery energy storage system (BESS) rated at 300 megawatts and 600 megawatt-hours of energy storage capacity. The batteries will store electricity when consumption is low and discharge it during the evening peak, when demand is highest.
“The total investment in the project is estimated at around $1.4 billion. More than 100 wind turbines will be installed across a 440-hectare site. The wind farm is expected to generate around 3.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing clean electricity to approximately 880,000 households. This, in turn, will significantly reduce the electricity deficit in the southern regions and ensure a reliable power supply for businesses and residents,” Samruk Energy CEO Kairat Maksutov said.
Masdar holds a 40% stake in the project, W Solar owns 40%, Qazaq Green Power, controlled by Samruk Kazyna, holds 18% and the Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund (KIDF) owns the remaining 2%.
The new wind farm will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.5 million tons annually, helping the country achieve its energy transition goals. As of the end of 2025, renewable energy sources accounted for 7% of the country’s total electricity generation. The share is expected to increase to 15% by 2030 and to 50% by 2050.
Site preparation is underway as planned. Full commissioning of the 1-gigawatt wind farm is scheduled for the third quarter of 2029.
The tariff for Masdar’s 1-GW wind farm in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region has been set at 4.49 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour and will remain fixed throughout the project’s 25-year operating period, according to the agreement between Kazakhstan and the UAE.
The project will be developed in two 500-megawatt phases. Each phase will include a 500-megawatt wind farm equipped with a 150-megawatt/300-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system integrated with the automatic frequency control system of Kazakhstan’s national grid operator, KEGOC.
