Kazakhstan Confirms No Permits Issued for Aktogay HPP in Charyn National Park
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan has officially clarified that the proposed Aktogay Hydropower Plant (HPP) on the Charyn River lacks the necessary regulatory framework and permits for development. The 220 MW project, situated within the boundaries of the Charyn State National Nature Park, is not under construction and has no legal authorization to proceed.
The inquiry from the Rivers without Boundaries environmental coalition was prompted by recent changes in the shareholder structure of the Aktogay Hydropower Plant company, which suggested a potential revival of investor interest. However, a formal response signed by Vice-Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Nurken Sharbiev confirmed that the company has not submitted project documentation to any authorized bodies. Neither the specialized environmental committee nor the Department of Ecology for the Almaty Region has received impact assessment materials, and the developer lacks the required land – and water – use documentation for the protected area.
Vice-Minister Sharbiev emphasized that the government does not plan to alter the boundaries, protection regimes, or functional zoning of Charyn National Park to accommodate the HPP. Under Kazakhstan’s legislation, the transfer of land within strictly protected natural territories for industrial activities is prohibited, as this project does not fall under any established legal exceptions.
Alexander Kolotov, Regional Coordinator for Central Asia at Rivers without Boundaries, stated that the ministry’s clarification provides necessary transparency regarding the project’s status. The response confirms that the state does not intend to allocate national park land for hydropower construction, ensuring that existing environmental laws are upheld.
International Coordinator of the coalition, Eugene Simonov, noted that preventing large-scale energy projects on protected rivers is vital for the survival of fragile ecosystems. The Moynak HPP, located upstream from the national park, already exerts a significant negative influence on the park’s relic riparian ash groves and local fish populations. Experts indicate that the construction of a second hydropower facility would effectively destroy the Charyn River ecosystem.
The Aktogay HPP was originally conceptualized during the Soviet era as part of a dam cascade following the Moynak HPP. The project was designed with an installed capacity of 220 MW and an estimated average annual output of 785 million kWh. The majority of the territory designated for the proposed plant falls within the current limits of the Charyn State National Nature Park.