Kazakhmys Balkhash power station
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Kazakhmys Balkhash power station (Балхашская ТЭЦ ТОО "Корпорация Казахмыс", БТЭЦ) is an operating power station of at least 120-megawatts (MW) in Balkhash, Karaganda, Kazakhstan with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Kazakhmys Balkhash power station | Balkhash, Karaganda, Kazakhstan | 46.828965, 74.949256 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 3R, Unit 7, Unit 8: 46.828965, 74.949256
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year | Retired year | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 30[2] | subcritical | yes | 1953 | – | False |
| Unit 3 | Retired | coal: bituminous[1] | 30 | subcritical | yes | 1953 | 2017 | False |
| Unit 3R | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 30[2] | subcritical | yes | 2002 | – | False |
| Unit 7 | Operating | coal: bituminous[1] | 60[2] | subcritical | yes | 1963 | – | False |
| Unit 8 | Pre-permit[3][4] | coal: bituminous[1] | 50 | unknown | yes | 2027 (planned)[5] | – | False |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 2 | Kazakhmys Energy LLP [100%][6] | Kazakhmys Holding LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Kazakhmys Energy LLP [100%][6] | Kazakhmys Holding LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 3R | Kazakhmys Energy LLP [100%][6] | Kazakhmys Holding LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 7 | Kazakhmys Energy LLP [100%][6] | Kazakhmys Holding LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 8 | Kazakhmys Energy LLP [100%][6] | Kazakhmys Holding LLP [100.0%] |
Project-level captive use details
- Captive industry use (heat or power): both
- Captive industry: Other Metals & Mining
- Non-industry use: both
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): domestic
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The power station is owned by Kazakhmys Energy, which in turn is owned by Kazakhmys Holding LLP.[7]
The first unit was commissioned in 1937.
The plant supplies electricity to the enterprises of Balkhashtsvetmet and Kazakhmys Smelting. Heat is supplied to the housing sector of Balkhash, but also to Kazakhmys Smelting.[8][9]
According to the presentations on the plant's operations in 2022 and 2023, installed electric capacity is 145 MW with 4 turbine units operating - Unit 6 with 25MW, Unit 7 with 60MW, Unit 2 with 30 MW and Unit 3 with 30MW.[10][11][9] The company's website also listed installed capacity of 145 MW.[12] It is likely that the original unit 3 was replaced with a new unit in 2002.[13] Some units may have been dismantled or mothballed in the past.
The plant produced 1122 million kWh of electricity in 2021.[14]
In June 2023, Kazakhmys Energy was fined 27 million tenge for non-compliance with legal requirements, as well as the modernization of basic equipment at this station as well as at Zhezkazgan power station.[15]
In June 2023, the plant had a complete outage due to the damage of the sectional switch.[16]
Proposed Expansion or Modernization
In 2024, the equipment of the plant was said to be almost completely depreciated.[17] Balkhash town was experiencing shortages of heat energy.[18] As of April, plant modernization was planned to be completed by 2027.[17] However it was not clear what the modernization entails.
In October 2025, the plant completed comprehensive preparations for the heating season, with repairs conducted on main boiler and turbine units and equipment updated in fuel transport, turbine, and chemical workshops.[19] Total financing for repair works amounted to approximately 6.4 billion tenge (ca. $13.5 million), including 2.4 billion tenge (ca. $5.1 million) for current repairs and around 4 billion tenge (ca. $8.4 million) for capital repairs.[20]
Unit 8
Press releases of Kazakhmys Energy from November 2024 indicated that public consultations took place for the construction of a new boiler unit and turbine unit of 50MW.[21] It was not clear whether this will be an additional unit or if it will replace an existing unit, but a government source from November 2024 referred to an expansion with 50MW.[22] An investment agreement was signed with the Ministry of Energy and Kazakhmys Energy. The timing to build the unit was still 2027, with expected approval by Gosekspertiza in Q4 2025.[21] Public hearings took place in Q1 2025 with further discussions taking place during April 2025.[23][24]
The National Coal Generation Project approved in April 2026 listed a combined 50 MW target for the Balkhash and Zhezkazgan power stations by 2028, though the figure was not broken down between the two stations.[25] As of 2026, Zhezkazgan was realising a turbine replacement at Unit 5 (Unit 5R), increasing capacity from 42 MW to 50 MW. The Plan of Measures for the Development of the Power Sector until 2035, amended in March 2025, listed a combined 100 MW target for the Balkhash and Zhezkazgan power stations by 2028, suggesting that the new unit at Balkhash would also be of approximately 50 MW.[26]
Ownership
In March 2026, Kazakhmys Corporation announced a restructuring of its corporate assets following a change in shareholder composition. As part of the transaction, Kazakhmys Energy LLP, the owner of the Zhezkazganpower station, was removed from the Kazakhmys group structure and transferred to other legal entities.[27] As of April 2026, Kazakhmys Energy was reportedly owned by Kazakhmys Power Projects B.V., according to corporate registry data. The same ownership structure was independently confirmed for the Topar power station, another entity removed from the Kazakhmys group in the same restructuring.[28]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 https://www.gem.wiki/Coal_source_methodology_for_the_Global_Coal_Plant_Tracker.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240218225118/https://kazakhmys-energy.kz/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/obshhaya-informacziya-o-balhashskoj-tecz.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-02-18.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20250407203457/https://kazakhmys-energy.kz/ru/2024/11/12/obyavleniya/protokol-%25E2%2584%25961-provedeniya-publichnyh-slushanij-ot-04-noyabrya-2024-goda/. Archived from the original on 2025-04-07.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://kazakhmys-energy.kz/ru/2025/02/12/obyavleniya/protokol-%e2%84%962-provedeniya-publichnyh-slushanij-ot-21-yanvarya-2025-goda-2/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20250106231010/https://kazakhmys-energy.kz/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/prezentacziya-pub-slushaniya-2.pptx. Archived from the original on 2025-01-06.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 https://web.archive.org/web/20221002042758/https://kazakhmys-energy.kz/ru/o-kompanii/struktura/. Archived from the original on 2022-10-02.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Структура производственных объектов предприятий Группы «Казахмыс»". kazakhmys.kz. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Отчет о деятельности по предоставлению регулируемых услуг за 1 полугодие 2022г". kazakhmys-energy.kz. 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Отчет о деятельности по предоставлению регулируемых услуг за 2023г". kazakhmys-energy.kz. 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Отчёты о деятельности". kazakhmys-energy.kz. 2022. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Балхашская теплоэлектроцентраль," Kazakhmys Energy, 2020 and 2022
- ↑ "О компании » Структура" (About Company - Structure), Kazakhmys Energy, accessed June 14, 2021
- ↑ "На Балхашской ТЭЦ введена в эксплуатацию новая турбина". bizmedia.kz. 2003.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Программа управления отходами Балхашской ТЭЦ ТОО". ecoportal.kz. August 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Kazakhmys Energy оштрафована на 27 млн тенге после проверки двух ТЭЦ". zakon.kz. June 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "На Балхашской ТЭЦ ТОО "Казахмыс Энерджи" произошло полное снижение генерации". www.caravan.kz. June 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Модернизацию Балхашской ТЭЦ намерены завершить в 2027 году". www.kt.kz. April 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Уходить от радужных отчетов и делать реальные дела, потребовали мажилисмены от руководства Балхашской ТЭЦ". astanatv.kz. July 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Как Балхашская ТЭЦ готовилась к отопительному сезону". kazakhmys.kz. October 2, 2025. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Как Балхашская ТЭЦ готовилась к отопительному сезону". kazakhmys.kz. October 2, 2025. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Презентация пуб слушания". kazakhmys-energy.kz/. November 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Модернизация энергетики Казахстана: вызовы и перспективы". primeminister.kz. November 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "ПРОТОКОЛ №2 проведения публичных слушаний от 21 января 2025 года". /kazakhmys-energy.kz. January 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Публичные слушания Жезказганская ТЭЦ ТОО «Kazakhmys Energy» (Казахмыс Энерджи) 17.04.2025". kazakhmys-energy.kz. April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "В каких городах модернизируют ТЭЦ в рамках нацпроекта". inform.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "О внесении изменения в приказ Министра энергетики Республики Казахстан от 20 февраля 2024 года № 71 «Об утверждении Плана мероприятий по развитию электроэнергетической отрасли до 2035 года»". gov.kz. April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Как Казахмыс реорганизовал свои активы". Kapital.kz. March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Топ-менеджер из структур «Казахмыса» строит солнечную станцию на деньги БРК". kz.kursiv.media. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
