Kazakhstan's power plants generated 114.3 billion kWh of electricity in 2021

The results of the heating period and the beginning of preparations for the upcoming heating season were considered at the government session chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov. Minister of Energy Bulat Akchulakov, Vice Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Marat Karabayev, Akim of Karaganda Region Zhenis Kassymbek made presentations.

In general, as Bulat Akchulakov said, the heating season in Kazakhstan passed in a stable mode, with the exception of the city of Petropavlovsk. In total, in 2021, 114.3 billion kWh of electricity was generated at the country's power plants. The winter maximum load was recorded on January 21, 2022 and amounted to 15,931 MW.

In 2021, 5,562 technological violations were committed in the Unified Electricity System of Kazakhstan. Compared to the same period last year, the number of technological violations increased by 20%. One of the main reasons for the increase in the accident rate of the power equipment of the stations is the delayed effect of insufficiency, cancellation and reduction in the volume of work on planned repairs of equipment in 2020 due to the introduction of comprehensive sanitary and epidemic restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic in Kazakhstan.

“During the current heating season, there were 36 cases of non-compliance by power plants with the temperature schedules for the operation of heat networks approved by local executive bodies, which is 18% less than last year. The main reason for non-compliance with the schedules is the shortcomings in the operation of the equipment,” Akchulakov informed.

A problematic issue is a significant amount of accounts payable for fuel. The debt of energy producing organizations to KazTransGas-Aimak JSC is 2 billion 272 million tenge. There is also a debt of the GPC for the REM Kokshetau Zhylu to LLP Bogatyr-Komir in the amount of 722 million tenge.

Thus, according to the head of the Ministry of Energy, monitoring the passage of the heating season has identified a number of regions that require special attention in preparing for the next heating season.

In the North Kazakhstan region, there are risks of untimely implementation of the Roadmap for the normalization of the work of the Petropavlovsk CHPP. The risks associated with the implementation of the Roadmap associated with untimely financing, supply, manufacture of spare parts and materials for boiler repairs have been identified. The Ministry of Energy, together with the regional akimat and CAEPCO JSC, hold weekly meetings.

In the Akmola region, there are questions about the technical condition of the Stepnogorsk CHPP and the heating networks of the city of Stepnogorsk. Monitoring of complaints from the city's population points to poor-quality heat supply to residential buildings, which was acutely felt in the current heating season.

In the Karaganda region, the state of heat supply in the cities of Zhezkazgan and Balkhash requires attention. Owners of combined heat and power plants and heating networks of these cities need to increase funding for the modernization of power equipment.

Also of concern is the unsatisfactory technical condition of CHPP-5 and heating networks in the city of Kentau, Turkistan region. The issue of financing repairs at CHPP-5 and heating networks for the stable passage of the upcoming heating season has not been resolved.

In accordance with the schedule for the repair of the main equipment of power plants of the Unified Electric Power System approved by the system operator, this year it is planned to repair 9 power units, 60 boilers, 42 turbines. As of May 11, 2022, at different stages, repair work is being carried out at 3 power units, 10 turbines and 23 boilers. Repair work has been completed on 5 boilers and 3 turbines. Repair work is being carried out according to the schedule.

On electric networks in 2021, major repairs of power lines with a total length of 20,201 km, 712 substations are planned. Today, 133 chimneys are operated at power plants, of which 64 are reinforced concrete, 51 are metal, and 18 are brick. At the same time, 35 reinforced concrete pipes and 10 brick pipes have been in operation for over 50 years.

“It is planned to carry out extraordinary technical examinations of chimneys at 37 CHPPs this year. Based on the results of the surveys, measures will be taken to eliminate the identified comments,” the Minister of Energy said.

Based on the results of the last heating season, in order to prepare for work in the next autumn-winter period, the department considers it necessary:

  • to fully carry out all scheduled repairs at power plants and electrical networks with proper quality;
  • to ensure the reduction of debt to fuel suppliers;
  • to take measures to reduce the receivables of consumers of public services to energy enterprises;
  • to carry out all activities for the preparation of educational, healthcare, life support, social and cultural facilities of settlements;
  • to take additional measures to eliminate the shortcomings identified during the past heating season;
  • to ensure timely and high-quality implementation of the Roadmap for the normalization of the work of Petropavlovsk CHPP-2;
  • to provide coal to all thermal power plants and boiler houses in the regions.

Vice Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Marat Karabayev also reported on the results of the past heating period and preparations for the new one. So, according to him, the heating season 2021-2022 was stable.

“According to the results of 2021, 111.7 million tons of coal were mined (excluding coal concentrate), which amounted to 102% compared to 2020,” Karabayev said.

The supply of coal to the population and the public utility sector was under constant control of the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development. Issues related to the shortage of coal were resolved by the ministry promptly.

For January-April this year according to operational data, about 38 million tons of coal were mined, which is 105% compared to the corresponding period last year. During this period, the shipment of coal to the domestic market of the country amounted to:

- energy-producing enterprises 22.1 million tons;

- industrial enterprises 2.4 million tons;

- 2.9 million tons were shipped for domestic needs and the population.

During the reporting period, 68 technological violations occurred, including:

- autonomous boiler houses - 7;

- heat supply networks - 19;

- water supply networks - 42.

“All violations were eliminated within the regulatory deadlines, heat supply and water supply were restored,” the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Investment and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan noted.

Thus, he added that more than 47,000 high-rise residential buildings, about 11,000 educational facilities and about 5,000 healthcare facilities need to be prepared for the upcoming heating season. As well as about 4 thousand km of heat supply networks, 10 thousand autonomous boiler plants and 13 thousand km of water supply and sanitation networks.

The algorithm of actions to prepare for the heating season this year was developed by the ministry and sent for work to the akimats of the regions, the cities of Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Shymkent. Together with the akimats, a plan for the demand for coal products is being formed.

As for receivables, today the debt of consumers for utilities is about 14.8 billion tenge, compared to last year there is a decrease of about 214 million tenge.

The largest receivables remain in:

- Nur-Sultan city - 3.2 billion tenge;

- Almaty city - 2.4 billion tenge;

- Shymkent - 2.1 billion tenge.

Akimats are taking systematic measures with debtors to pay off and reduce receivables.

Purchase and distribution of coal for the population is in the area of ​​responsibility of local executive bodies. In this regard, the akimats of the regions are recommended to:

1) by June 1, 2022, approve the action plan for the preparation of housing and communal services, housing and the social sphere;

2) until Sep. 1, 2022, to ensure 100% readiness of educational facilities;

3) until Oct. 15, 2022:

- to ensure the full readiness of all objects of housing and communal services, housing, healthcare, social services and engineering infrastructure;

- to ensure timely coal harvesting for the population and budgetary organizations and the standard fuel supply at autonomous boiler houses.

- to start harvesting coal for the population in order to eliminate the shortage of coal during the peak period by working out the reduction in the cost of coal from the railway dead end to the population through the introduction of electronic applications

“The issue of preparation for the heating season is under special control of the ministry. Monitoring will be carried out daily,” Karabayev assured.

Akim of the region Zhenis Kassymbek reported on how the autumn-winter period passed in the Karaganda region.

“The heating season as a whole was stable, without serious technological violations,” he said.

Karaganda CHPP-3 and heating networks functioned normally. Major technological violations were not recorded. There were no complaints from the population about the quality of heat. The operation of the Temirtau CHPP-2 is under special control.

Indeed, at the end of last year there were unscheduled shutdowns of boilers, which were eliminated in a timely manner, there was a necessary reserve of boiler equipment. This year, work is planned to overhaul two boilers and one turbine. The amount of financing for the repair campaign is 2.9 billion tenge, which is 11.5% more than last year.

“During peak periods, the station operates without the necessary reserve of boiler equipment. Since 2019, the construction of a new boiler No. 7 has begun, which will be put into operation next year. The Balkhash CHPP was generally stable. During the past heating season, technological violations were recorded, for which prompt measures were taken,” Kassymbek informed.

This year, the amount of funding for the repair campaign of the station has been doubled. The construction of a new boiler unit No. 5 is underway, which will be put into operation this year. This will provide the necessary reserve of boiler equipment during peak periods. Particular attention will be paid to the repair and insulation of heating networks. It is planned to repair 83 km of heating networks and reconstruct 8.4 km of heating networks for a total of 14.7 billion tenge.

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