Ust-Kamenogorsk power station
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Ust-Kamenogorsk power station (Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ) is an operating power station of at least 308-megawatts (MW) in Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Shygys Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as AES Ust-Kamenogorsk, Ust-Kamenogorsk CHP power station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Ust-Kamenogorsk power station | Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Shygys Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan | 49.982959, 82.614333 (exact)[1] |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- 1, Unit 10, Unit 11, Unit 12, Unit 13, Unit 9: 49.982959, 82.614333
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year | Retired year | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancelled - inferred 4 y[2][3][4][5][6] | fossil gas: natural gas[5] | 308[6] | unknown | yes[6] | – | – | no |
| Unit 10 | Operating | coal: subbituminous[7] | 50 | subcritical | yes | 1966 | 2028 (planned)[8][9] | no |
| Unit 11 | Operating | coal: subbituminous[7] | 100 | subcritical | yes | 1970 | – | no |
| Unit 12 | Operating | coal: subbituminous[7] | 120 | subcritical | yes | 2016[10] | – | no |
| Unit 13 | Pre-permit[11][12] | coal: subbituminous[7] | 100[8][9] | subcritical | yes | 2028 (planned)[8] | – | no |
| Unit 9 | Operating | coal: subbituminous[7] | 38 | subcritical | yes | 1967 | – | no |
CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Global Invest Ltd [33%]; North Trade Energy sro [33%]; E3P Group [33%][6][6][6] | E3P Group [33.3%]; Global Invest Ltd [33.3%]; North Trade Energy sro [33.3%] |
| Unit 10 | Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS LLP [100%][13] | Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 11 | Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS LLP [100%][13] | Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 12 | Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS LLP [100%][13] | Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 13 | Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS LLP [100%][13] | Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP [100.0%] |
| Unit 9 | Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS LLP [100%][13] | Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP [100.0%] |
Project-level captive use details
- Captive industry use (heat or power): both[14]
- Captive industry: Other Metals & Mining[14]
- Non-industry use: both[14]
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): domestic
Background
The power plant is owned by Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS LLP, which in turn is owned by Kazakhstan Utility Systems.[15][16] Kazakstan Utility Systems is part of the investment group Ordabasy[17], however the official shareholder is a private individual Magda Idrisova with 99%, as per the company's 2022 annual report.[18]
The Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS power station was launched in 1947. In 1997, it was among the power plants transferred to American power corporation AES. In April 2017, AES sold Ust-Kamenogorsk to Kazakhstan Utility Systems.[19][20]
The power station is the largest electricity producer in the East Kazakhstan region, with over 500 people working at the station. It supplies heat to large industrial enterprises, particularly, the Ust-Kamenogorsk Lead and Zinc Factory[19], and covers 80% of the city's housing and utilities sector load. It uses coal from Karazhyra Coal Mine and Maikubensky coal mine.[21]
The plant has 9 boiler units and 8 turbine units with 372.5MW.[22] A new turbine Unit 12 was put into operation in November 2016 and has a capacity of 120 MW.[23] In addition to the units listed above, there are smaller units 5-8 with approximately 65MW total capacity that started operations between 1951 and 1959.[22]
Modernization and Expansion
In January 2021 an Investment agreement was signed by the company and the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan to expand the plant by building a boiler unit No. 16 and replacing the turbine No. 10, with capacity increase, during 2021-2024.[24][25] The new unit would be 65MW and would replace the existing unit No.10 with 50MW, according to another source.[26]
In January 2022, Rusatom Service JSC, a subsidiary of Rosatom, and Ust-Kamenogorsk CHP LLP signed an agreement which included the construction of a new coal-fired boiler unit and work to upgrade auxiliary systems on a turnkey basis.[27] Construction was expected to be completed by Q2 of 2025 at a cost of USD 100 million.[28][26] The primary objective was to cover the thermal energy shortage in Ust-Kamenogorsk.[29] The new boiler unit was said to increase the coal consumption of the plant by 300 thousand tonnes per annum up to 1.8 mtpa.[29] An article from December 2022 mentioned the delay with the installation of the new boiler unit No. 16 by about a year (i.e. to Q2 2026) due to the situation in Russia.[26]
Reporting from Q4 2024 indicated that the project has now been amended and Unit 13 will have 100MW capacity with expected completion pushed to 2028.[30][31] The project is being implemented with the support of the Eurasian Development Bank and China Machinery Engineering Group Corporation.[30] As a result of project implementation, the capacity of the plant will increase to 422.5MW (by 50MW, from the existing 372.5MW). Therefore Unit 10 retirement of 50MW appeared to still be going ahead.
Public consultations of the project took place in January 2025.[32] It appeared that additional public consultations took place in April 2025. An investment agreement with the Ministry of Energy was anticipated (or could be singed already). To implement the project, contracts was concluded with key contractors: Project Stroy Company, KalbaGeoProekt, as well as a consortium of companies Hubei Machinery and Equipment International Limited and KurylysExpertProekt LLP.[33]As per company's presentation, equipment installation would commence in mid-2026 [34]
As of October 2025, it seemed financing and feasibility studies had not been finalized yet.[35]
In 2026, the station carried out a major maintenance campaign covering capital repairs of two boiler units, medium-scope repairs on three, and routine repairs on the remaining four, as well as restoration works on all eight turbine units. Infrastructure upgrades included the underground water main, high-voltage transformers, process pipelines, and switchgear at ОРУ-110 kV No. 2.[36][37]
In February 2026, Kazakhstan Utility Systems announced the formal launch of the Unit 13 expansion project. The project was expected to increase the station's electrical capacity by 100 MW and thermal capacity by 130 Gcal/hour, with completion targeted by 2029. The new boiler unit was to be equipped with modern dust filtration systems and NOx and SOx reduction technology meeting the requirements of Kazakhstan's Environmental Code and European standards.[38]
In April 2026, the Ministry of Energy included the expansion of Ust-Kamenogorsk power station in the National Coal Generation Project, which listed the project at 100 MW among 11 existing stations undergoing modernisation.[39] There were no updates regarding possible retirement of Unit 10.
Conversion to Gas Not Anticipated
There has been a public interest and media discussion about converting this plant to gas, but no concrete government or company plans to do so as of November 2021.[40][41] Conversion of the plant to gas would first require construction of a new gas pipeline which would connect to Ust-Kamenogorsk.[42] In November 2021, the government of Kazakhstan was negotiating with Russia on the subject of gasification of the east of Kazakhstan but no specific plans were released to the public.[43]
According to an article from February 2022, conversion of this plant to gas was considered technically impossible by experts, since there is currently no gas pipeline in the area and it's not expected to be built. In addition, the new equipment would not fit into the existing facility: considering that the enterprise is located in the middle of dense buildings of the industrial zone, it has nowhere to expand. It was considered to be easier and more cost-effective to build a new power plant than to rebuild an old one. Nurlan Ramazanov, Deputy Head of the Energy and Housing Department of the East Kazakhstan region stated that in order to build a new gas power plant, the country's gasification scheme would need to be updated; there are two options for the gas delivery - one from the South of Kazakhstan and the other one from Russia.[29]
Environmental Issues and New Plant
Ust-Kamenogorsk is heavily polluted due to industrial activity of several metallurgical factories as well as the power plant. Residents are exposed to heavy smog on many days and are advised to stay indoors.[44]
In March 2023, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov, when responding to parliamentarians regarding the environmental concerns in Ust-Kamenogorsk, stated that there were no plans to build a new power station in the city, but instead a new boiler would be installed and the old turbine would be replaced at the current plant by December 2025.[45] (the project described in the paragraph above).
However just a few months later in November 2023 this was reversed and announced that the construction of a new plant Ust-Kamenogorsk TETS-2 power station will go ahead.
In November 2025, further environmental mitigation measures at the existing Ust-Kamenogorsk power station were reported. The plant was undergoing continued modernization, including upgrades of boilers, turbines, and filtration systems, alongside the operation of a continuous automated emissions monitoring system covering dust, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides. The company reported that average daily dust emissions since early 2025 had remained within permitted limits, and that additional measures were being implemented to improve water circulation efficiency and ash handling, while further modernization of boiler-turbine equipment and installation of new units with advanced emission controls were planned.[46]
Financing
Unit 13
- Financing of Unit 13 expansion project was arranged through a long-term credit line of $180 million from the Eurasian Development Bank and Eurasian Bank.[47]
- In February 2026, the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and Eurasian Bank of Kazakhstan provided long-term debt financing totalling $180 million for the project, with each bank opening a credit line of $90 million. EDB also provided grant financing for the development of project and cost documentation. The payment obligations under the Eurasian Bank loan were covered by a payment guarantee issued by EDB.[48]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Контакты". ТЭЦ Усть-Каменогорск. Archived from the original on 2026-05-04. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210702222223/https://mail.strategy2050.kz/en/news/28746/. Archived from the original on 2021-07-02.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210702224228/https://online.zakon.kz/Document/?doc_id=31491367. Archived from the original on 2021-07-02.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230317103239/https://vlast.kz/novosti/54245-novuu-tec-v-ust-kamenogorske-stroit-ne-budut-smailov.html. Archived from the original on 2023-03-17.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20220709160036/https://kazpravda.kz/n/s-mechtoy-o-gaze/. Archived from the original on 2022-07-09.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20210702222258/https://halykgm.kz/uploads/common/files/LUAr8SRM.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-02.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 https://www.gem.wiki/Coal_source_methodology_for_the_Global_Coal_Plant_Tracker.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20241218014711/https://uktets.kz/ru/press-tsentr/30102024-rus. Archived from the original on 2024-12-18.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20260513175253/https://altainews.kz/ru/novosti/58320-modernizaciju-ust-kamenogorskoj-tjec-zavershat-v-2028-godu.html. Archived from the original on 2026-05-13.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240520193653/https://kus.kz/en/novosti-i-sobytiya/item/133-kazakhstan-utility-systems-llp-has-acquired-ust-kamenogorsk-chp-and-sogra-chp. Archived from the original on 2024-05-20.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/ust-kamenogorske-nachali-realizatsiyu-proekta-rasshireniyu-592618/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ готовится к строительству нового энергоблока". 2025-10-08. Archived from the original on 2025-10-17.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125153650/https://uktets.kz/ru/. Archived from the original on 2024-01-25.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "О компании". ТЭЦ Усть-Каменогорск. Archived from the original on 2026-05-04. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
- ↑ Kazakhstan Utility Systems. "СТРУКТУРА КОМПАНИИ". Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Ordabasy Group". ordabasy.kz. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Ordabasy Group". ordabasy.kz. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Годовой отчет ТОО «ККС» за 2022 год" (PDF). kus.kz/. 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ," Wikipedia, December 7, 2020
- ↑ "Динмухамет Идрисов увеличивает энергетические активы," Forbes, April 18, 2017
- ↑ "О главном – о топливе на ТЭЦ". https://uktets.kz/. 2020.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ↑ 22.0 22.1 "ИСТОРИЯ". https://uktets.kz/ru/predpriyatie/istoriya. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help); External link in|website= - ↑ "Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP has acquired Ust-Kamenogorsk CHP and Sogra CHP," Kazakhstan Utility Systems, April 8, 2017
- ↑ Kazakhstan Utility Systems. "2021 Annual Report" (PDF). Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "ГЕНЕРАЦИЯ ЭЛЕКТРО-ТЕПЛОЭНЕРГИИ". kus.kz. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "Как в перспективе планируют покрыть дефицит теплоэнергии в Усть-Каменогорске". ustinka.kz. December 5, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Расширение станции с увеличением мощности ТОО «Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ» (г.Усть-Каменогорск, Республика Казахстан)". rosatomservice.ru. Retrieved December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ ""Дочка" Росатома модернизирует и расширит ТЭЦ в Усть-Каменогорске". YK.kz. Jan 27, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 "Дефицит тепловой энергии может возникнуть в Усть-Каменогорске". 24.kz. Feb 22, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "В Усть-Каменогорске 29 октября состоялись публичные слушания, на которых была представлена программа расширения и модернизации мощностей Усть-Каменогорской ТЭЦ". uktets.kz/. October 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Модернизацию Усть-Каменогорской ТЭЦ завершат в 2028 году". altainews.kz. October 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "140 млрд тенге вложат в теплоснабжение Усть-Каменогорска". yk.kz/. February 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ представила проект расширения". /kus.kz/. April 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Расширение станции со строительством турбоагрегата ст. №13 и котлоагрегата ст. №16 ТОО "Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ"" (PDF). //uktets.kz. 2025.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website=|title=at position 37 (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ готовится к строительству нового энергоблока". uktets.kz. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ↑ "На Усть-Каменогорской ТЭЦ начали ремонт оборудования". ustinka.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "В каких регионах проведут капремонт ТЭЦ?". gov.kz. March 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "В Усть-Каменогорске начали реализацию проекта по расширению ТЭЦ". tengrinews.kz. February 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "11 электростанций модернизируют в Казахстане". nationalbusiness.kz. April 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "С мечтой о газе". Kazpravda.kz. Jun 20, 2019. Retrieved Nov 22, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "В ВКО рассматривают проект газификации региона". Online.zakon.kz. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Усть-Каменогорская ТЭЦ просит о повышении тарифа". Ustinka Live. Nov 19, 2020. Retrieved Nov 22, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Минэнерго ведет переговоры об участии России в газификации востока Казахстана". YK.kz. Nov 18, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Почему ТЭЦ в трёх казахстанских городах будет строить Россия?". rus.azattyq.org. December 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Новую ТЭЦ в Усть-Каменогорске строить не будут – Смаилов". ВЛАСТЬ. March 12, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Шесть десятилетий в строю: на Усть-Каменогорской ТЭЦ проводят ремонт". ustinka.kz (in русский). November 4, 2025. Retrieved Jan 6, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "В Усть-Каменогорске начали реализацию проекта по расширению ТЭЦ". tengrinews.kz. February 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Евразийский банк развития и АО «Евразийский банк» предоставили долгосрочное финансирование для модернизации Усть-Каменогорской ТЭЦ". eabr.org. 13 February 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Additional data
To access additional data, including interactive maps of the power stations, downloadable datasets, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker and the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
