Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy and China Energy Engineering Group have signed agreements on the construction of a large solar power plant with a capacity of 300 MW in the Sauran district of the Turkestan region in southern Kazakhstan.
The Investment Agreement and the Power Purchase Agreement were signed on September 2 as part of the 8th meeting of the Kazakhstan-China Business Council in Beijing.
Investments in the project will total $320 million.
Construction is planned for 2025-2026.
The project is aimed at developing green power generation and strengthening the energy security of the southern regions of Kazakhstan.
Kazakh Minister of Energy Erlan Akkenzhenov described the signing of the agreements as a symbol of deepening strategic partnership with China in the field of green energy. “This project will strengthen Kazakhstan’s energy system, create new jobs, and become an important step towards achieving carbon neutrality goals,” he commented.
Construction of the new solar plant will contribute to the diversification of Kazakhstan’s electricity generation, increasing the share of renewable energy sources (RES).
According to the Ministry of Energy, Kazakhstan now has 156 RES facilities with a total generating capacity of 3,122 MW. In 2024, they produced 7.58 billion kWh of electricity, 6.43% of the total power generation.
By the end of this year, the country plans to commission 9 new RES facilities with a total capacity of 455 MW.
According to plans, by 2035, at least 8.4 GW of new RES capacities will be built in the country.
