Semey-3 power station
| Part of the Global Coal Plant Tracker, a Global Energy Monitor project. |
| Related coal trackers: |
Semey-3 power station (ТЭЦ в Семее, ТЭЦ-3 в Семее) is a power station in the pre-permit stage in Semey, Stepnoy settlement, Abay, Kazakhstan.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Semey-3 power station | Semey, Stepnoy settlement, Abay, Abay, Kazakhstan | 50.4091, 80.20068 (approximate)[1] |
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Pre-permit[2][3][1] | coal: bituminous[4][1] | 135[1][5] | subcritical[1] | yes | 2029 (planned)[6][7][8] | False |
| Unit 2 | Pre-permit[1] | coal: bituminous[1] | 135[1] | subcritical[1] | – | 2029 (planned)[1] | False |
| Unit 3 | Pre-permit[1] | coal: bituminous[1] | 135 | subcritical[1] | – | 2029 (planned)[1] | False |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Semey Energo LLC [100%] | Samruk-Energo JSC [50.0%]; Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC [50.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Semey Energo LLC [100%] | Samruk-Energo JSC [50.0%]; Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC [50.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Semey Energo LLC [100%] | Samruk-Energo JSC [50.0%]; Samruk-Kazyna SWF JSC [50.0%] |
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The Semey-3 power station was announced in January 2023, although the project had been under consideration for about 10 years.[9]
Early Planning (2023-2024)
In April 2023, Samruk-Energo JSC started developing the feasibility study, with an estimated project cost of 482 billion tenge.[9][10] Initially, the plant was expected to have 320 MW of power capacity and 1,200 Gcal/hour of heat capacity, with final characteristics to be determined as part of the feasibility study.[10]
In June 2023, the feasibility study was in progress with coal and natural gas as the fuel options. Two serious investors were reported to be interested in the project – one from China and one from Russia – based on a capacity-based tariff mechanism. Feasibility study was expected to be completed by the end of 2023.[11][12] Following Vladimir Putin's visit to Kazakhstan in November 2023, a memorandum was signed between Russia and Kazakhstan agreeing that Russia's Inter RAO-Export would build three CHP plants in Kazakhstan, including Semey-3, Kokshetau and Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS-2 power station. The agreement was in consultation mode until the end of December 2023.[13][14] The project capacity was revised upward to 360 MW.[14]
In January 2024, the location of the plant was decided – the left bank of the city of Semey, near Stepnoy settlement.[15] The feasibility study was being conducted by Stroyindustriya TOO, with completion expected in March 2024. The EPC contract was planned for Q3 2024, with construction to be completed in three years.[16][17] However, in June 2024, it was reported that a contract with Inter RAO for the feasibility study – not the EPC contract – was still in the final stage of discussions.[18]
Russian Participation Suspended (2025)
As of April 2025, the planned completion timeline had shifted to 2029, with initial construction works planned for the end of 2025.[19][20]
In June 2025, the project with Russia's participation was suspended due to financing difficulties and disagreements on electricity pricing between Kazakhstan and Russia. Kazakhstan indicated it may conduct new tenders for the construction of the three power plants.[21][22]
As of October 2025, financing and technological issues remained unresolved.[23] As of January 2026, there were differing reports on the completion timeline. The regional governor stated that Phase One was expected to be completed in Q3 2029.[24] Samruk-Energo reported a commissioning date of 2032, possibly referring to full project completion.[25] Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy Action Plan for the Development of the Electric Power Industry through 2035 indicated a target commissioning year of 2030.[26]
New Contractor and 2026 Developments
On 30 January 2026, an EPC contract was signed with a Kazakh-Singaporean consortium for the design, procurement, and construction of the Semey CHP plant.[27] In February 2026, Deputy Minister of Energy Sungat Yesimkhanov confirmed that Russia would not participate in the project and that Samruk-Energo would implement it independently. Preparatory works on site were planned to begin in April 2026, with equipment orders to be placed at manufacturing facilities in May 2026. Commissioning was targeted for the end of 2029.[28] According to the project specifications, the plant will have an installed electric capacity of 405 MW and thermal capacity of 1,000 Gcal/h, comprising four steam boilers and three 135 MW turbogenerators, fuelled by coal from the Karazhyra deposit.[29]
In April 2026, the Deputy Minister confirmed that the Kazakh-Singaporean contractor had been selected on the basis of its access to modern Chinese technologies. Clean coal technologies and artificial intelligence systems were planned for all three stations – Kokshetau, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk. The project cost was reported at approximately 350 billion tenge (~$680 million).[30]
According to the project specifications, the plant will have an installed electric capacity of 405 MW and thermal capacity of 1,000 Gcal/h, comprising four steam boilers and three 135 MW turbogenerators, fuelled by coal from the Karazhyra deposit.[31]
Financing
In January 2024, it was reported that 480 billion tenge will be allocated to the project.[32] (It was not clear whether this reflects government or municipal funding and whether plans to find an investor have been scrapped). Financing by Russian financial institutions was also mentioned as planned by another source.[17]
News from June 2025 indicated that the project with Russia's participation was suspended due to financing difficulties and disagreements on pricing of electricity between Kazakhstan and Russia.[21] Kazakhstan may conduct new tenders for the construction of the three power plants.[22]
As of October 2025, financing and technological issues were not decided yet but were in discussion.[23]
In February 2026, the Ministry of Energy confirmed that all three CHP plants (in Kokshetau, Semey, and Ust-Kamenogorsk) would be financed through bond issuances by Samruk-Kazyna, with no Russian participation.[33] In April 2026, the Minister of Energy Sungate Yesimkhanov confirmed that Russian financing had been definitively cancelled, and that the combined cost of the Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk plants was approximately KZT 400 billion (approximately $740 million).[34]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 https://time.kz/articles/territory/2026/04/24/postroit-za-tri-goda-vremya-poshlo.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240218224602/https://kapital.kz/economic/122359/kakiye-kompanii-privlekut-dlya-stroitel-stva-t-ets-g-es-i-vie.html. Archived from the original on 2024-02-18.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Стало известно, кто построит ТЭЦ в Семее и Усть-Каменогорске Читать: https://www.kt.kz/rus/state/stalo_izvestno_kto_postroit_tets_v_semee_i_1377982050.html". 2025-09-12. Archived from the original on 2025-10-17.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ↑ https://neftegaz.ru/news/energy/801936-minenergo-kazakhstana-planiruet-podpisat-memorandum-s-inter-rao-eksport-po-stroitelstvu-3-ugolnykh-t/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Проект соглашения России и Казахстана о строительстве трех ТЭЦ стал доступен для публичного обсуждения". neftegaz.ru. 2023-12-14. Archived from the original on 2024-01-25. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ↑ https://informburo.kz/novosti/tec-v-koksetau-semee-i-ust-kamenogorske-postroiat-bez-rossiiskix-investicii-okoncatelnoe-resenie.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://24.kz/ru/news/social/704434-stroitelstvo-tets-3-v-semee-zavershat-v-2029-godu.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ Министерство Энергетики Республики Казахстан (2025-04-02). "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»". Archived from the original on 2025-10-16.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "В Семее построят новую ТЭЦ почти за 482 млрд тенге". https://kz.kursiv.media/. January 2023.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Самрук-Энерго готовит ТЭО новой ТЭЦ в г. Семей". https://www.samruk-energy.kz/. April 2023.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ "Нурлан Уранхаев поделился подробностями строительства ТЭЦ-3 в Семее". www.arnapress.kz. June 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Стоимость строительства новой ТЭЦ в Семее станет известна к концу года". https://semey.city/. June 2023.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ "Проект Постановления Правительства Республики Казахстан "О подписании Соглашения между Правительством Республики Казахстан и Правительством Российской Федерации о проектах строительства угольных теплоэлектроцентралей в городах Кокшетау, Семей и Усть-Каменогорск". legalacts.egov.kz. December 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Проект соглашения России и Казахстана о строительстве трех ТЭЦ стал доступен для публичного обсуждения". neftegaz.ru. December 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Где построят новую ТЭЦ в Семее". informburo.kz. January 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "СТРОИТЕЛЬСТВО НОВОЙ ТЭЦ В СЕМЕЕ ЗАЙМЕТ ОКОЛО 3 ЛЕТ". 24.kz. January 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Какие компании привлекут для строительства ТЭЦ, ГЭС и ВИЭ". https://kapital.kz/. January 2024.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ ""Интер РАО" рассчитывает в 2024 году подписать контракт по двум ТЭЦ в Казахстане". www.interfax.ru. June 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Строительство ТЭЦ-3 в Семее завершат в 2029 году". www.youtube.com. April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Стали известны сроки строительства новых ТЭЦ". /lsm.kz. April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Строительство ТЭЦ: о чем не смогли договориться Казахстан и Россия". //ulysmedia.kz/. June 2025.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Казахстан вновь выставит на аукцион три ТЭЦ, если РФ не найдет деньги". kz.kursiv.media. June 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Стало известно, кто построит ТЭЦ в Семее и Усть-Каменогорске | Kazakhstan Today". www.kt.kz. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ↑ "ТЭЦ-3 построят в Семее". 24.kz. November 11, 2025. Retrieved Jan 8, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Казахстан может построить ТЭЦ в Семее и Усть-Каменогорске самостоятельно". exclusive.kz. December 15, 2025. Retrieved Jan 8, 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 2, 2025. Retrieved Jan 8, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "ТЭЦ в Семее и Усть-Каменогорске построит казахстанско-сингапурский консорциум". vlast.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "ТЭЦ в Кокшетау, Семее и Усть-Каменогорске построят без российских инвестиций". informburo.kz. February 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Построить за три года — время пошло!". time.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Россия не будет строить ТЭЦ в Казахстане — проекты передали казахстанско-сингапурскому консорциуму". tengrinews.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Построить за три года — время пошло!". time.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Около 3 лет уйдет на строительство новой ТЭЦ в Семее". khabar.kz/. January 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Без России: как в Казахстане будут строить три ТЭЦ". lsm.kz. February 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "За чей счет будут строить ТЭЦ в Казахстане". zakon.kz. 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.
