ASTANA — Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov met with Valérie Levkov, vice president for Infrastructure at the World Bank Group, to discuss expanding cooperation and financing energy sector modernization projects.
Valérie Levkov and Yerlan Akkenzhenov. Photo credit: Energy Ministry.
During the talks, the officials discussed the current state and prospects of strategic cooperation in the energy sector. The World Bank reaffirmed its role as a key partner for Kazakhstan in modernizing energy and utility infrastructure and confirmed its readiness to finance priority projects, the ministry’s press service reported on April 29.
Particular attention was given to the national project to modernize the energy and utilities sectors. In cooperation with the World Bank, roadmaps have been developed for the heat and electricity sectors across 12 utilities. These documents, based on analysis and on-site missions by international experts, focus on attracting investment, digitalization and automation. Financing parameters, including the PforR (Program-for-Results) mechanism, are aligned with these roadmaps.
The World Bank’s Regional Integration and Electricity Trade (REMIT) program in Central Asia was also discussed. The initiative aims to develop a regional electricity market and strengthen integration among countries. Its first stage involves launching a pilot electricity market using the day-ahead model, allowing countries to trade electricity volumes without major changes to existing systems.
