ASTANA — The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Karagandy Energotsentr signed a $240 million, 13-year loan agreement on Dec. 24 to finance the modernization and expansion of the Karagandy Combined Heat and Power Plant 3 (CHPP-3), according to the EDB’s press service.
Photo credit: Karagandy Energotsentr website. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
Karagandy Energotsentr is the leading electricity producer in the Karagandy Region and the city’s exclusive district heating provider.
The project aims to enhance the plant’s generation capacity by 140 megawatts (MW) of electricity and 180 gigacalories (Gcal) per hour of heat. This expansion is expected to ensure a reliable power supply to Kazakhstan’s national energy grid and provide heat to new residential districts in the city.
The initiative addresses critical electricity generation shortages in the region, responding to increasing demand while boosting efficiency and reliability. It will also improve heat distribution to over 400 additional homes and social institutions while meeting stringent safety standards.
The new power unit will feature cutting-edge energy and environmental technologies, fully aligned with Kazakhstan’s updated Environmental Code for new installations. These include advanced dust filtration systems and measures to reduce nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon oxide emissions, mitigating the plant’s environmental impact.
“This project is an important step in modernising the region’s energy infrastructure, and the expanded Karagandy CHPP-3 will become the largest combined heat and power plant in the country. We are pleased that our cooperation will enable the implementation of cutting-edge technology, improve power supplies and contribute to the development of the Karagandy Region,” said Vice Chairman of the EDB Management Board Ruslan Dalenov.
Sabyrgali Idrisov, General Director of Kazakhstan Utility Systems, emphasized the project’s broader impact, calling it a commitment to the region’s future by enhancing energy supplies, improving environmental standards, and creating jobs.
The EDB, a multilateral development bank with a charter capital of $7 billion, has been fostering economic integration and sustainable development in Eurasia for over 18 years. Its project portfolio spans key sectors, including transport, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, and manufacturing, and it aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Environmental, Social, and Governance principles.
