Kazakhstan’s minister for industry and construction recently used a government meeting to touch upon the growth of the town of Ekibastuz Ekibastuz’s economy centers on metallurgy and railway construction Pavlodar region’s metallurgical sector is set to benefit from the creation in Ekibastuz of an industrial zone whose main investor will be a company named Mineral Product LLP creating 800 jobs during the zone’s construction and 4,000 once the facilities are in operation The entire Ekibastuz complex is expected to attract more than 100 billion tenge (~$224 million) in investment Ekibastuz is one of Kazakhstan’s single-industry towns whose economy is dominated by one industrial sector or one corporate entity that is focused on a particular sector Such towns often have a difficult dependence on the performance of a particular enterprise or industry and are often subject to the gyrations and whims of particular commodities markets During his working trip to Pavlodar region Prime Minister checked the fulfilment of the President's instructions in the energy sector In Ekibastuz Olzhas Bektenov got acquainted with the results of modernisation of the Power Plant-1 as well as the beginning of implementation of projects on reconstruction of the Power Plant-2 and construction of the Power Plant-3 on clean coal technology A national meeting on the development of the industry against the backdrop of the growing needs of the economy launch of new production facilities and active digitalisation was also held here The total installed capacity of Ekibastuz power plant which includes Bulat Nurzhanov power plant-1 and Ekibastuz power plant-2 which makes Ekibastuz a strategically important centre of power generation Pavlodar region generates over 40% of the country's electricity As part of the modernisation of the Power Plant-1 Power Unit 1 with a capacity of 540 MW was restored and commissioned in December last year In 2026-2028 it is planned to reconstruct the fuel supply system and build a new chimney emission control and prevention of emergency situations were reported At the national meeting on energy development under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov considered key areas of the sector including the introduction of new capacity issues of unification of electricity networks of the Western Zone with the Unified Electricity System of the country the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan The reports were made by the Ministers of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov Industry and Construction Yersaiyn Nagaspayev the management of national companies Samruk-Energo JSC and KEGOC JSC The average level of wear and tear of the stations' equipment reaches 56 per cent the volume of electricity generation increased by 4% New capacities are expected to be commissioned through modernisation of existing plants and construction of new generating units Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov reported that last year 771 MW of new capacities were commissioned including the restoration of unit 1 at Ekibastuz power plant-1 as well as alternative energy projects with a total capacity of 163 MW 14 investment agreements have been concluded for modernisation reconstruction and renewal of generating units with a total capacity of about 2 GW It is planned to commission 621 MW this year and 2.6 GW in 2026 68 projects will be implemented until 2029 reconstruct and expand the existing plants for a total capacity of 4.2 GW by 2035 the project on reconstruction of 220-500 kV overhead lines of KEGOC branches of Aktobe Sarbai inter-system power networks has been completed under which the existing 24 power transmission lines with a total length of 2,000 kilometres which have reached their normal service life It was also reported on the progress of modernisation of Almaty CHP-2 and CHP-3 Minister of Industry and Construction Yersaiyn Nagaspayev reported on work with the country's largest enterprises to reduce energy consumption and energy intensity of the economy A number of implemented projects were named Modernisation of pumping equipment at the enterprise KarCement reduced specific energy consumption by 15.4% Kazakhstan Electrolysis Plant overhauled electrolysers and insulated electric boilers Aktobe Copper Company reduced electricity consumption by 2% by optimising the operation of gas piston units and adjusting the fuel mixture supply Energy consumption in the public sector is also being monitored the State Energy Register is being transformed into a Unified Information System in the field of energy saving "The President called energy one of the key areas of building a self-sufficient and competitive country It is a fundamental factor of sustainable progress in the new world on which successful digitalisation and widespread introduction of artificial intelligence directly depend untimely implementation of planned projects hinders the development of the economy A number of major projects need electricity already now," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised Among the important projects are commissioning of modern coal-fired plants in Semey construction of modern power plant-3 in Ekibastuz Following the results of the meeting a number of instructions were given This year KEGOC should start construction and installation works on unification of electric networks of the Western zone with UES with completion of works in 2027 This project will increase the reliability of electricity supply to consumers The Prime Minister emphasised the development of the coal chemical industry and instructed to actively use innovative technologies for coal processing to produce high value-added products Stay updated about the events of the Prime minister and the Government of Kazakhstan - subscribe to the official Telegram channel More than three days after a power plant crash plunged residents of the northern Kazakhstan city of Ekibastuz into a deep freeze it is becoming apparent that government efforts to fix the situation are not going as well as first suggested Thousands of residents of the city in the region of Pavlodar are still without central heating amid temperatures stuck in a range between minus 20 and minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 4 and minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit) at least 17 apartment buildings remained unconnected to the power station The regional government is now reporting directly to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev following the dismissal of Pavlodar governor Abylkair Skakov over connection with the November 27 failure there are mounting public demands for investigators to take a closer look at industrial magnate Alexander Klebanov It is his Central Asia Electric Power Corporation that owns the Ekibastuz power station as well as several others in northern Kazakhstan In the immediate wake of the stoppage at the power station, Tokayev ordered Smailov’s cabinet to consider nationalizing “problematic power stations” under private ownership citing the lack of willingness on the part of owners to invest in much-needed refurbishments Authorities are evincing signs of anxiety that the situation in Ekibastuz is now being recast as a story of nationwide failings Adil Zhalelov, a famous Russian-language rapper who hails from the Pavlodar region and who performs under the stage name Skryptonite, did just that in a rare politically themed Instagram post for his 2.1 million followers. Reposting footage of steam pouring from out of service heating pipes in Ekibastuz Zhalelov gave sarcastic thanks for a series of vanity projects completed or begun by the government during independence before signing off the post: “You go on trusting the government.” News trickling out of the city of over 100,000 people continues to shock On November 30, news website Orda.kz reported that residents of apartment buildings still unconnected to central heating were being asked not to use their toilets and sinks at risk of burst pipes Prior to his dismissal, Skakov acknowledged that there had been reports of at least seven instances of radiators exploding inside flats With electricity so far unaffected by the power plant’s woes On the same day that Smailov arrived in the city, a Pavlodar businessman’s initiative to crowdfund and distribute more than a hundred heaters almost ended in tragedy as scores of people crushed to the front of the line The most embarrassing facet of the disaster is how often One video widely circulated in the wake of the accident shows Ekibastuz civil activist Yuri Pavlenko appealing to Tokayev and warning of a looming heating crisis in the city. The video was published in August A government commission later carried out inspections in Ekibastuz and ordered CAEPC to speed up repairs and replacements of outdated infrastructure – mostly heating pipes both Skakov and energy minister Bulat Akchulakov expressed confidence that there would be no nasty surprises in the city during the heating season “Listen […] this is like the chronicle of a death that everyone knew of in advance,” crowed veteran journalist Vadim Boreiko in an episode on his YouTube channel titled “Accident in Ekibastuz – a bomb under the government.” Past problems with power stations under CAEPC’s ownership have not resulted in any punishment for Klebanov a powerful magnate believed to have enjoyed particularly close relations with the family of Tokayev’s predecessor But in the buildup to his reelection last month Tokayev boasted in what was seen as a bid to distance himself from Nazarbayev’s style of rule that the “era of oligarchical capitalism is coming to a close.” Lawmakers are pouncing on the populist bandwagon too. A member of parliament called Yerlan Sairov suggested that Klebanov should pay “moral damages” to Ekibastuz residents as well as the sum required to return the power plant to the condition that it was in before his company acquired it over two decades ago.  Sairov even claimed that the businessman had told lawmakers in the wake of the accident that he was prepared to sell the asset for the symbolic sum of one tenge. But that offer was “not good enough” without additional damages they sucked the benefit out of these objects Now they want to throw the problem on the state and the population,” Sairov fumed But critical media is already smelling a smokescreen Pavlodar’s deputy governor Oleg Krukov was appointed on an acting basis.  serves as Klebanov’s deputy on CAEPC’s board of directors who was one of the officials to visit Ekibastuz in the wake of the crash responded to a question from a journalist on this connection back in March noting that “every citizen has the right to work where [they] can be useful Artyem Sochnev is a writer based in Stepnogorsk Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all One of the largest mining facilities in the world – with output to rival a small power station – is set to open for business in the mining-friendly country of Kazakhstan in September STORY CONTINUES BELOWDon't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newslettersSign me upBy signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy See also: Top Bitcoin Mining Pools See 15% Hashrate Drop Amid Continuous Rainstorms in China UPDATE (Aug.22, 10:35 UTC): A previous version of this article stated that the power came from Russia, that Dmitriy Ivanov was a director and that F2Pool had visited the site. This has been corrected. Paddy Baker is a London-based cryptocurrency reporter. He was previously senior journalist at Crypto Briefing. Paddy holds positions in BTC and ETH, as well as smaller amounts of LTC, ZIL, NEO, BNB and BSV. thanks partly to a vast mine containing 50,000 computers in the desert near the northern city of Ekibastuz Young men work 12 hours a day for 15 days in a row without leaving the site in order to keep it running round the clock But the rapid growth of crypto-mining in the country has put pressure on the energy sector carbon-intensive coal-fired power stations Earlier this month the rising cost of car fuel acted as the trigger for nationwide political protests For five days the Kazakh crypto-mines could not connect to the internet causing crypto-currency transactions across the world to slow down You can watch the full documentary, Our World - Kazakhstan's Crypto-Boom? on BBC News and BBC World News from Friday 4 February and during the weekend ShareSaveHow Karen Dunbar helped craft her Bafta-winning video game characterThe comedian won best supporting actor for her role as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep. 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Kazakhstan’s president has asked his government to consider nationalizing “problematic” power plants after a breakdown left residents of a northern town battling the depths of winter inside their homes.   The collapse over the weekend of operations at a power plant in Ekibastuz left huge swathes of a city of over 100,000 people without central heating as nighttime temperatures hit -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit) Pavlodar’s regional governor Abylkair Skakov said he had personally overseen the evacuation of residents of an orphanage after a state of emergency was declared in Ekibastuz on November 27.  As of November 28, central heating had been restored to most residents, authorities said, with representatives of Kazakhstan’s ruling party Amanat boasting of delivering a thousand electric radiators as part of the humanitarian response.  In a statement the Energy Ministry attributed the cause to damage in the piping system that delivers steam throughout the city which caused a drop in pressure and the shutdown of five boilers in short order. The statement noted that a government commission had in August demanded the plant’s operators speed up work on repairs which the ministry described as 70 percent out of date. Like many Soviet-built facilities the Ekibastuz plant provides the town with both electricity and heat Of 37 large power plants in Kazakhstan, 22 are privately owned, according to data held by the Energy Ministry.  The plant in Ekibastuz dates to 1956, but is now controlled by the Central Asian Electric Power Corporation, a firm majority owned by industrial and financial magnates Alexander Klebanov and Sergei Kan.  The same company came under fire in March when a smokestack collapsed at its plant in Petropavl causing a fatal accident and leaving homes without proper heating.  businessmen who made their wealth under former president Nursultan Nazarbayev In a Telegram post late on November 27 President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s press service wrote that Tokayev had asked Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov “to consider the issue of returning problematic energy assets in the country's cities to state ownership.”  The statement blamed accidents and electricity supply problems on “poor quality of management” at the facilities and said the state would extend material support to Ekibastuz residents.  Coal-fired power stations generate more than 70 percent of Kazakhstan’s energy mix For Tokayev, who has vowed not to extend his presidency beyond the seven-year term that he secured in an opposition-free vote on November 20 aging and under-funded energy system has become a pressing problem.  The head of state had already flagged the dilapidated state of local energy infrastructure in Ekibastuz back in October during a visit to Pavlodar and Karaganda regions that was understood as the beginning of his election campaign.  just two weeks before he went to the polls a mining town in the northeast of the country were left without proper heating and hot water for several days after an accident at the power plant there – also privately owned.  The governor of the Eastern Kazakhstan region Daniyal Akhmetov on November 10 accused the Ridder plant’s management of providing the national grid with misleading reports about the health of the plant’s infrastructure.  Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said “measures” against the company were being considered A key problem in the sector is that electricity is not a lucrative business in Kazakhstan. Tariffs are low while steep hikes are politically unpalatable.  That makes power plants most valuable to owners who also control other power-hungry businesses Klebanov’s search for added value, for instance, saw him named in March alongside Nazarbayev’s brother Bolat Nazarbayev in a Financial Monitoring Agency press release shaming high profile figures who had benefited from illegal cryptocurrency mining operations in northern Kazakhstan Neither man was arrested over the transgressions and the FMA’s statement described the shutdown of their facilities as “voluntary.” private owners of power plants have little incentive to invest in upgrades – a situation that looks unsustainable in the long run We encourage you to republish Dialogue Earth articles, online or in print, under the Creative Commons license. Please read our republishing guidelines to get started Ekibastuz GRES-1 power station in Kazakhstan Coal accounts for the majority of power generation in the Central Asian country Kazakhstan is one of the only countries in the world still proposing new coal-fired power plants. This is despite having committed to reducing carbon emissions and expanding renewable energy in its ambitious Carbon Neutrality Strategy – approved just five months ago with the support of multilateral banks The strategy made no mention of new coal plants.  If Kazakhstan commits to building carbon-intensive infrastructure, it risks locking itself into a fuel that may hamper its development and expose it to economic and climate risks, not to mention facing reputational damage within the climate-focused investment and international community the new coal power projects would represent over 25% of the country’s total coal-fired fleet capacity The plans for new coal projects clash with Kazakhstan’s Carbon Neutrality Strategy which sets a net-zero carbon goal of 2060 and identifies key technological transformations needed for decarbonisation the strategy emphasises reducing the share of coal generation while increasing that of renewables Kazakhstan’s power sector is plagued by worn-out infrastructure in both thermal power stations and the grid which has resulted in numerous failures and supply interruptions in recent years Historically, Kazakhstan has relied heavily on coal for power generation, given its abundant reserves and developed coal infrastructure. Last year, coal accounted for as much as 67% of the country’s power generation, followed by gas at 21.5% A technical audit of Kazakhstan’s thermal power stations conducted earlier this year revealed an average degree of wear-and-tear of 66% Without well-executed operation and maintenance procedures and significant investment wear-and-tear at power stations results in inefficient and interrupted energy supply Some of Kazakhstan’s coal plants have depreciated by 80% and are in dire technical condition Since many facilities in Kazakhstan are combined heat and power plants (CHPs) which also provide heating to the residential sector power plant failures leave some residents without heat in their homes during Kazakhstan’s harsh winters One reason behind a lack of funding for necessary repairs at Kazakhstan’s aging power stations is insufficient energy tariffs The government has tightly regulated tariffs and has not allowed rises in order to prevent the population falling into energy poverty But it is difficult to see how Kazakhstan’s net-zero goal can be reached if coal remains such a significant part of the economy Kazakhstan’s Carbon Neutrality Strategy may not be perfect – it lays out no concrete plan for decommissioning existing coal plants and says only that a vision will be developed for retiring coal units that have been in operation for more than 30 years It also only foresees a reduction of emissions by 2030 which delays the critical decisions and capital investments needed in the next seven years the intent to reduce the country’s emissions through clean energy infrastructure is clear.  As with other emerging economies that face a similar dilemma the best way for Kazakhstan to overcome the challenges of its aging infrastructure and competing geopolitical pressures is to accelerate investment in clean power generation but costs are comparable to new coal infrastructure and come without future risks to the economy and the environment Kazakhstan’s power overhaul must involve investments in energy storage as in industrial and residential energy efficiency Such investments can lead to further economic growth and stimulate broader participation of local industries in the economy In contrast, building new coal power plants will eventually translate into significantly higher socio-economic and environmental costs It would be a missed opportunity to decarbonise the country’s energy infrastructure The Center for Introduction of New Environmentally Safe Technologies contributed to this article Jelena Babajeva is a researcher at Global Energy Monitor she worked at a rating agency and in banking analysing energy finance transactions Select from our bespoke newsletters for news best suited to you We’ve sent you an email with a confirmation link 我们向您的邮箱发送了一封确认邮件，请点击邮件中的确认链接。如果您未收到该邮件，请查看垃圾邮件。 If you would like more information about the terms of our republication policy or permission to use content, please write to us: [email protected] We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Read our privacy and cookies policy for further information Dialogue Earth uses cookies to provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser It allows us to recognise you when you return to Dialogue Earth and helps us to understand which sections of the website you find useful Required Cookies should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings Dialogue Earth - Dialogue Earth is an independent organisation dedicated to promoting a common understanding of the world's urgent environmental challenges. Read our privacy policy Cloudflare - Cloudflare is a service used for the purposes of increasing the security and performance of web sites and services. Read Cloudflare's privacy policy and terms of service Dialogue Earth uses several functional cookies to collect anonymous information such as the number of site visitors and the most popular pages Keeping these cookies enabled helps us to improve our website Google Analytics - The Google Analytics cookies are used to gather anonymous information about how you use our websites. We use this information to improve our sites and report on the reach of our content. Read Google's privacy policy and terms of service This website uses the following additional cookies: execute and analyze marketing programs with greater ease and efficiency while enabling publishers to maximize their returns from online advertising Note that you may see cookies placed by Google for advertising under the Google.com or DoubleClick.net domains Twitter - Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories opinions and news about what you find interesting Simply find the accounts you find compelling and follow the conversations Linkedin - LinkedIn is a business- and employment-oriented social networking service that operates via websites and mobile apps Energy officials in Kazakhstan say they have over the past week uncovered 13 illegal data-mining farms collectively using more than 200 megawatts of power The facilities have been found all over the country “[Efforts] to identify and disconnect mining farms from the electrical grid will continue, and the relevant government bodies are also conducting investigations into the data-mining farms that have been detected,” the Energy Ministry said in a statement on February 21 War on unlicensed crypto-miners was declared earlier this year by Digital Development Innovation and Aerospace Industry Minister Bagdat Musin who appealed for help from the public in implementing the crackdown “Gray miners are doing a lot of harm to our power grid The energy costs of illegal mining are estimated to exceed 1 gigawatt,” he said on February 3 China’s de facto ban on crypto-mining last summer precipitated a boom for the industry in Kazakhstan where operators took advantage of relatively low electricity costs to turn the country for a while into the second-biggest crypto-mining center in the world Many have done so without registering themselves with the authorities They use copious volumes of electricity at household rates thereby depriving power providers of revenue Unpredictability in usage patterns also complicates the ability of electricity producers to draw up reliable output plans who they say have placed an excessive load on energy infrastructure for an increasing number of rolling blackouts across various regions in recent months. According to the Energy Ministry power consumption in January-October 2021 grew by 8 percent compared to the same period a year earlier consumption grew annually by less than 2 percent deputy Energy Minister Zhandos Nurmaganbetov seemed to be suggesting that tracking down all the so-called gray miners might take time “[Energy Ministry inspectors] cannot go around the whole city to work it out We make enquiries with energy-generating companies: ‘Hand over whatever information you have about miners.’ But they don’t give us anything What you have to understand is that either they don’t know either or this information is being hidden somehow,” Nurmaganbetov told reporters on February 17 Some of the illegal data farms have been going about their business with remarkable brazenness was situated within the grounds of a coal-fired thermal power station in the town of Ekibastuz Another was operating out of six containers at an industrial park in the commercial capital of Almaty With 'fully legal' cryptocurrencies, the country hopes to compete in the big leagues of global finance Kazakhstan -- A bank of transformers hums and crackles by the entrance to BTC.kz's data center on the outskirts of Ekibastuz in northeastern Kazakhstan It is hooked up to a network of overhead cables that stretches for thousands of kilometers across the empty steppe Billows of steam from two immense power plants stand over the landscape which is flat and sepia all the way to the horizon facilities like these put Kazakhstan at the vanguard of the cryptocurrency business elevating a country with a tiny technology industry to a leading player in what some believe to be the future of money As part of his working trip to Pavlodar region the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov familiarised himself with the construction of a new Palace of Children's Creativity in Ekibastuz The modern centre with an area of 7.2 thousand square metres is being built to expand the coverage of children with quality additional education Sponsors' funds totalling 5.8 billion tenge have been raised for the construction of this facility The Palace of Children's Creativity will be equipped with the latest high-tech equipment It is envisaged to open a space radio communication club a studio of industrial architecture and design the basement and steel structures are being assembled The commissioning is scheduled for autumn this year Prime Minister instructed the Akimat to ensure timely launch of the project "The Palace of Children's Creativity is being built on the direct order of the Head of State These centres serve as points of attraction give an opportunity to a child to develop creative abilities the coverage of additional education in the city will be 70% The project will be under my personal control," Olzhas Bektenov said.  today 3 organisations provide additional education services in the city The coverage is about 7 thousand children or 31% The new centre will also be adapted for children with special educational needs the largest republic of the former Soviet Union The All-Union Power Pool System of the European part of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics remained in Russia as part of the United Power System (UPS) of the Commonwealth of Independent States With Russia’s power sources located mostly in the east and load centers in the west the main transmission lines have been built from east to west All of Russia’s other high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) systems and back-to-back (BTB) HVDC links have been planned commissioned and operated by the country’s Ministry for Electrical Power and Electrification With the exception of the first HVDC project between Kashira and Moscow which was the only one constructed using foreign equipment the HVDC projects have been constructed using major plant automation and protection equipment developed manufactured and delivered by the factories of the Ministry for Electrotechnical Industry The former Soviet Union started HVDC system research and development (R&D) at several scientific research institutes in the 1930s but the first project was not commissioned until 1950 Three organizations from the former Soviet Union played the main part in the implementation of all of the HVDC systems: and industrial enterprises took part in the creation of HVDC systems The following is a summary of major Russian HVDC systems the Kashira–Moscow project was the first HVDC system in the world It is a two-pole system that is comprised of a 120-km (75-mile) ±100-kV underground cable circuit The system was built using equipment designed and manufactured by German companies Siemens and AEG for the Elbe–Berlin project which was never put into service by Germany the underground cable was replaced with cable manufactured at the Soviet plant Moscabel This HVDC system — using coke-filled ground electrodes and control and protection systems — was the result of a five-year R&D program on all equipment undertaken by VEI and NIIPT The Volgograd–Donbass system is a two-pole ±400-kV overhead line that stretches 473 km (294 miles) between two 220-kV ac systems The aluminum-steel 600-mm2 (0.93-in2) conductors have a load-transfer capacity of 720 MW The converter stations are similarly equipped with eight six-pulse valve groups with each valve group originally having 14 mercury-arc valves; at the Volzhskaya HVDC substation the mercury-arc valves have since been replaced with high-voltage thyristor valve groups this was the largest HVDC scheme in operation in the world Ekibastuz–Center was a major project for which planning commenced in 1970 by the Energosetproject The objective was to provide an interconnection to supply 6,000 MW from the Ekibastuv Thermal Power Plant in Kazakhstan to offset a power deficiency in the center of Russia The planned HVDC interconnection included a 2,400-km (1,491-mile) HVDC bipolar transmission line operating at ±750 kV with a line rating of 4,000 A Each pole consisted of two branches connected in parallel with each branch having a high-voltage water-cooled 12-pulse thyristor valve group For the first stage of the Ekibastuz–Center HVDC project (1,500 MW) the following major plant items were manufactured: During the period between planning and execution of this project a large test station was established in the city of Tolgliatti in 1979 This was the first high-voltage test station in the world designed for full-scale long-term testing of all the equipment required for high-voltage alternating-current (HVAC) systems up to 1,150 kV and HVDC systems up to 1,500 kV These voltage levels are higher than those currently being used in similar test facilities established around the world equipment was delivered to the Ekibastuz and Tambov converter stations for the first 1,500-MW stage and then construction began About 1,000 km (621 miles) of the ±750-kV HVDC overhead line was completed before the collapse of the Soviet Union which stopped all site and line construction works Equipment delivery started in 1989 and then stopped in 1991 at the time of the development of the ultra-HVDC system Russia was some 20 years ahead of the rest of the world The Vyborg BTB link connects the 330-kV HVAC system in northwest Russia to Finland’s 400-kV HVAC system The majority of this project was commissioned during 1981 to 1984 with the construction of three high-voltage converter units (HVCUs) The power-transfer capacity was for 600 MW but this was increased after the first year as the energy transmitted (4,500 GWh) exceeded the contracted total (4,000 GWh) the mean annual energy transmitted through the link was about 4,500 GWh following the deferment of the Ekibastuz–Center HVDC project The high-voltage thyristor valves were replaced and the new technologies originally developed for the Ekibastuz–Center HVDC project were used Further refurbishment and expansion work resumed at the Vyborg BTB in the mid-1990s the fourth high-voltage converter unit (HVCU-4) was commissioned and the transfer capacity of the link was increased to 1,420 MW A second stage of upgrading took place from 2002 to 2005 with the installation of new control protection and automation on the first three converter units that included a microprocessor for active and reactive power control protection and automation software was modernized including the provision of a control loop for the new 50-MVA static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) installed at the BTB The STATCOM was developed at the Scientific and Technical Center of Power Engineering Industry of the JSC Federal Grid Co energy transmission through the BTB was increased from 4,500 GWh in 1999 to 10,600 GWh in 2003 only two HVDC links in Russia have been in operation namely the Volgograd–Donbass link and the Russia–Finland Vyborg BTB with no immediate plans in place for further HVDC system development VEI together with the OAO Electrovypryamitel provided the R&D resources to develop the serial production of a unified converter module equipped with optic-electronic control a 12-kV dc voltage level and a dc current rating of 2.5 kA The development of this module is just one of the latest innovative achievements that will be incorporated in future high-voltage power converters for use in new HVDC systems BTB projects and static volt-ampere reactive compensators the Russian Federation approved a general scheme for the allocation of Russian Federation Power System objects by 2020 (General Scheme 2020) with regard to the following: the construction of 8,150-MW Evenkiiskaya HPS at the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River in northeast Siberia was stipulated and two HVDC transmission lines ±500 kV 2,500 MW Evenkiiskaya HPS–Tyumen 600 km and 800 km (373 miles and 497 miles) were proposed 3,000 MW Siberia (Itat)–the Urals–Centre (Tambov) 3,700 km (2,299 miles) and the Urals (Ekaterinburg)–Centre 1,850 km (1,150 miles) also were planned to provide power to the European part of Russia three HVDC power transmission lines ±750 kV (or ±600 kV) 3,000 MW from Siberia to the state border with China were considered to ensure the export of power to China The extension and reconstruction of the Vyborg HVDC BTB station was considered as well as the construction of new HVDC BTB stations 200-MW Mogocha and Khani in the far-east 500-MW Knyazhegubskaya BTB to increase power export to Finland and 500-MW Tsentralnaya BTB for power export to Poland the General Scheme 2020 construction program was reviewed and the decision was made to correct the forecast development by taking into consideration factors that included a reduction in power demand because of the increase in economic efficiency A 200-MW BTB is under construction at the Mogocha substation in the Chitinskaya Power System in Siberia It is now at the delivery and assembly stage in which equipment developed and manufactured in Russia is being installed This BTB is located between the two separate and unconnected 220-kV transmission systems in the east (Chita) and far-east (Khabarovsk) of Siberia The project consists of two parallel circuits each capable of transmitting 100 MW in either direction A total of four voltage source converters are connected by a three-level circuit with an installed power of 102 MW The commissioning of the Mogocha BTB is expected in 2014 The construction of the similar 200-MW BTB station Khani connecting 220-kV systems between Irkutsk and Khabarovsk The decision has been made to construct a ±300-kV HVDC system which will have the capability to output 1,000 MW between the Leningradskaya nuclear power station and Vyborg BTB This link will involve the construction of both an undersea cable and an overhead bipolar transmission circuit This could result in the possibility of increasing the power capability of the Vyborg BTB Alstom is expected to supply and deliver the equipment for this project The construction of Kaliningradskaya nuclear power station is planned with a scheduled output of 1,000 MW in 2017 and an additional 1,000 MW in 2020 with the majority of the output to be available for export A 330-kV HVAC transmission line to Lithuania is planned together with the construction of two BTB substations One BTB will be interconnected to the Polish transmission system and the second BTB may be interconnected to the transmission system in Germany Lev V. Travin ([email protected]) received BSEE and MSEE degrees in power stations electrical systems and grids from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute before joining the All-Union (now All-Russian) Electrotechnical R&D Institute in 1956 He has more than 50 years of experience in research development and R&D planning of HVDC power transmission Travin has been member of the International Electrotechnical Commission since 1964 and was the secretary of IEC Technical Subcommittee 22F Power Electronics for Electrical Transmission and Distribution Systems Edison Award for exceptional achievement in committee management Dr. Vladimir V. Khudyakov ([email protected]) earned his MSEE degree in electrical power plants power networks and systems in 1950 and his Ph both from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute Khudyakov worked at the All-Russian Electrotechnical Institute (VEI) from 1953 to 1998 His responsibilities included high-voltage power systems Khudyakov was awarded the title of Distinguished CIGRÉ member in 1998 he is now working as an independent consulting engineer Alstom | www.alstom.com/uk DC Research Institute (NIIPT) | www.niipt.com Energosetproject | www.oaoesp.ru JSC Electrovypryamitel | www.elvpr.ru Ministry of Energy the Russian Federation | minenergo.gov.ru Moscabel | www.moscabelmet.ru Siemens | www.siemens.com Scientific and Technical Center of Power Engineering Industry of the JSC Federal Grid Co. United Power System | www.ntc-power.ru VEI | www.vei.ru At the government session chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin the Comprehensive Plan for the Socio-Economic Development of Ekibastuz Minister of National Economy Aset Irgaliyev Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Beibut Atamkulov Akim of Pavlodar region Abylkair Skakov presented their reports The Head of Government noted that the city of Ekibastuz is a large industrial and energy center not only in Pavlodar region The city has significant potential for the development of the energy sector The implementation of 114 measures of the Comprehensive Plan will give a new impetus to the development of the region Investments in fixed assets will increase 5 times and will amount to 737 billion tenge in 2025 Projects will be aimed at developing engineering and communication social sphere and solving environmental problems the construction of factories for the production in the railway cluster forged products and equipment repair are envisaged 3 at Ekibastuz GRES-2 and restore power unit No the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan will improve the quality of life income and well-being of the city's population real incomes of the population will grow by 43% The Prime Minister instructed to ensure the timely and high-quality implementation of the measures of the approved Comprehensive Plan for Social and Economic Development of Ekibastuz Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov introduced the new head of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Akkenzhenov Yerlan appointed to the post by the Decree of the Head of State The Head of the Government thanked Almassadam Satkaliyev for his contribution in the spheres of oil and gas energy and wished success in further activities as Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Atomic Energy During the presentation of the new Minister the great experience of Yerlan Akkenzhenov in the field of oil and gas including in the processing and transport of oil products Prime Minister stressed that the Head of State had set a goal on large-scale renewal of energy infrastructure of the country has set tasks for the implementation of strategic projects including the construction of three thermal power plants completion of integration of power networks of the Western zone with the Unified Power System of the country and commissioning of additional power capacities priority areas of work were outlined to fulfil the President's instructions regarding the expansion of oil and gas projects timely implementation of projects for the construction of gas processing plants ensuring stability in the production of petroleum products and providing them to the domestic market Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin got acquainted with the implementation of investment projects in the fields of energy metallurgical industry and production of building materials the Head of Government was reported on the progress of the execution of the instructions of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the preparation of the Comprehensive City Development Plan for 2021-2025 The document provides for the implementation of 118 measures to develop a comfortable urban environment improve social and engineering infrastructure it is planned to reduce the dependence of the city's economy on the fuel and energy complex and the mining industry by increasing the share of the manufacturing industry by 4 times – from 5% to 20% Over 16.5 thousand new jobs will be created in the fields of mechanical engineering 932.3 billion tenge is provided for the implementation of the Plan Chair of the Board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC Almasadam Satkaliyev reported to the Prime Minister on the progress of modernization of this largest thermal power plant of the Republic of Kazakhstan the implementation of the project for the construction of a new power unit No as well as other investment projects in the electric power industry 1 with the installation of electrostatic precipitators The implementation of the project will increase the plant's capacity by 550 MW to 4,050 MW and significantly reduce the impact on the environment through the use of modern ash and slag removal technologies The cost of the project is 123.7 billion tenge while it is planned to shorten the commissioning time of the station and complete the project in 2023 about 1,200 MW of capacities will be commissioned to meet the needs of the growing economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan the implementation of large industrial projects The Head of Government was presented with promising investment projects in the mining coal-chemical and manufacturing industries totaling 227.5 billion tenge which are planned to be implemented in the industrial zone of Ekibastuz One of the largest projects of the metallurgical industry in Kazakhstan will be the construction of a ferroalloy plant with a capacity of 240 thousand tons of high-quality ferrosilicon and 12 thousand tons of microsilica per year The project is being implemented by EkibastuzFerroAlloys LLP in the period 2021-2023 The implementation of the project will increase the export potential of Kazakhstan in the ferroalloy market and will improve the position of Kazakhstan in the world rating of ferrosilicon exporters from 5th to 2nd place The company Ansa Silicon plans to build a plant for the production of technical silicon with a capacity of 35 thousand tons of products per year Japan and the countries of the European Union The Head of Government visited enterprises for the production of railway wheels (Prommashkomplekt LLP) railway axles and wheelsets (RWS Wheelset) reinforced concrete sleepers and beams (RWS Concrete) The export volume is 70-80% of the production A new impetus to the development of railway engineering in Kazakhstan will be given by the implementation in the city of Ekibastuz of the project for the construction of a forging and bandage complex of Railcast Systems LLP with the participation of investors from Germany and the Russian Federation Production capacity – 102 thousand rough tires for locomotives blanks for large gear wheels and forged products per year The cost of the project is 70.1 billion tenge The launch of the enterprise will fully meet the internal needs of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the specified products the Prime Minister got acquainted with the development of production and the implementation of the environmental strategy of Aluminum of Kazakhstan JSC visited the TemirMash plant for the production of special equipment for various purposes the ZENITH plant for the production of building materials the volume of industrial production in Pavlodar region increased in comparison with the same period in 2020 including the manufacturing industry – by 5.9% The working trip was attended by the Minister of National Economy Aset Irgaliyev as well as Chair of the Board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC Almasadam Satkaliyev For 19 years in this resort place there were tournaments for prizes of the legendary Kazakhstan football player the deserved trainer of Kazakhstan Timur Segizbayev This year in Zerenda came 14 teams from Russia Uzbekistan and various cities of Kazakhstan Young players competed in 2004 (6 teams) and 2005-2006 the winners were the football players representing the Sports School №8 the bronze medals were awarded to representatives from Russia - the team Energia (Omsk) representatives of the Kazakh and Uzbek schools - Ekibastuz and Tashkent played in finals the players from Uzbekistanin won in a series of penalty shoot-outs At the end of the tournament: the team of the Youth Sports School was the first the Sports School from Ekibastuz took the second place the team of the Youth Sports School (Karaganda) won the third place The award ceremony was attended by the adviser to the KFF president Seilda Ikramovich Baishakov and the representative of the family of Segizbayevs the grandson of Timur Sanzharovich Alikhan The results of the football holiday were summed up by the chief referee of the competition who thanked the leadership of the KFF and akimat of the Zerendinsky region for help and support in organizing the tournament Seilda Baishakov congratulated the winners on behalf of the President of the Kazakhstan Football Federation Adilbek Dzhaksybekov presented a letter of thanks to the organizer of the tournamen the 11th youth tournament starts in memory of the creators and inspirers of the Seizbaev tournament - Nikolai Sergeyevich and Tatiana Grigoryevna Kulenyuk