Pavlodar region set to boost role in Kazakhstan’s energy supply

The region’s total installed generation capacity currently stands at 8,542 MW. The bulk of the load is carried by Ekibastuz GRES-1 named after Bulat Nurzhanov with a capacity of 4,040 MW and Ekibastuz GRES-2 with 1,000 MW. Another key component of the regional energy system is the Aksu power plant operated by the Eurasian Energy Corporation, which has an installed capacity of 2,475 MW Last year, the region generated 49.1 billion kWh of electricity, representing a significant share of the country’s total output. Pavlodar serves not only as a consumer but also as a key energy supplier, providing electricity and heat to Kazakhstan’s industrial belt “The scale of projects planned for implementation will be particularly significant in the coming years. The largest of them is the construction of Ekibastuz GRES-3. The project involves the installation of four power units with a capacity of 660 MW each, bringing the total capacity to 2,640 MW. In addition, power units No. 3 and No. 4, each with a capacity of 550 MW, will be built at GRES-2. If all plans are fully implemented, the region’s electricity generation capacity will increase from 8,542 MW to 12,717 MW — an increase of 49%. This would bring Pavlodar’s share of national electricity production close to 50%,” the Pavlodar region akimat’s press service said However, this also raises the issue of whether the domestic market and export potential will be able to absorb such volumes. Electricity consumption in Kazakhstan remains unevenly distributed, with northern regions generating a surplus while the south faces shortages. Therefore, commissioning new capacity will require not only increased production but also effective management of energy flows All major generation facilities in the region currently operate on coal. The Pavlodar Irtysh area is extremely rich in this natural resource The production capacity of coal mining enterprises in the region is about 80 million tons annually. This includes 70 million tons of KS-grade hard coal, 9 million tons of 3B-grade brown coal, and 600,000 tons of T-grade hard coal The mining sector accounts for 24.9% of the region’s total industrial output, with coal extraction making up about one-third of the sector. Notably, 60% of all coal mined in Kazakhstan comes from the Pavlodar region Last year, coal production in the region increased by 3.8%, reaching a total value of 298.4 billion tenge Among the best-known companies in the sector are Bogatyr Coal LLP in Ekibastuz, the Vostochny Open-Pit Mine of the Eurasian Energy Corporation, Angrensor-Energo LLP, as well as Gamma Sarykol LLP and Maikuben-West LLP, which mine lignite in the Maikuben coal basin of the Bayanaul district. Bogatyr Coal and the Vostochny Open-Pit Mine together account for 80% of the region’s total coal output. Today, more than 15,000 people are employed in the coal mining industry Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan announces funding for geological exploration in 2026