Three hydroelectric power stations are planned to be built on the Tentek River
The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan announced plans to purchase land as part of a project to build a cascade of three hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) on the Tentek River in the Alakol district of the Zhetysu region. Earlier, the agency was forced to consider the upstream construction project compared to the original plan due to the fact that the lands on which it was planned to build the HPP are privately owned, but as a result decided to return to it, since the construction of the HPP above this point will reduce the capacity of the Tonkeris station by 10 MW.
“As part of the first stage, three projects for the construction of hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) in the Alakol district of the Zhetysu region were pre-selected. All three facilities are reservoir-type hydroelectric power plants and include the Tonkeris dam and hydroelectric power station, the Nizhny Kyzyltogai dam and hydroelectric power station, as well as the Upper Kyzyltogai dam and hydroelectric power station, combined into a cascade on the Tentek River. This statement on the planned activities has been prepared in relation to the Tonkeris dam and hydroelectric power station (HPP) construction project, which is planned as the final stage of the cascade on the Tentek River,” the statement on the planned activities, which is available to Kursiva, says.
The estimated capacity of Tonkeris HPP will be 87.75 MW (maximum – 92.58 MW). As part of the project, the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan concluded an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the provision of consulting services. ADB will provide technical support to the project aimed at determining the parameters of HPPs for their subsequent development with the involvement of private investment.
The project site is located approximately 580 km northeast of Almaty and 385 km northeast of Taldykorgan. All three HPPs will operate as a single system, ensuring consistent regulation of runoff, stable power supply and optimal power generation throughout the year. During the preliminary feasibility study, possible accommodation options were studied.
“The axis of the dam is chosen upstream from the existing irrigation intake – the site is recognized as the most suitable in terms of geology, topography and accessibility. Initially, the HPP building was planned downstream, which provided more pressure and power, but due to leased private land in the area, it was decided to move the building upstream. This led to a loss of more than 10 meters of head and a decrease in power by over 10 MW. At the stage of the final feasibility study, it is planned to reevaluate the possibility of returning to the original version by buying out the required site, which will restore the original design parameters and increase the efficiency of the station,” the documentation says.
The height of the dam will be 121.5 meters, the volume of the reservoir – 236 million cubic meters. The average annual electricity generation based on hydrological analysis for the period 1932-2023 is estimated at 301.10 GWh per year.
The Ministry of Energy does not provide specific deadlines for the implementation of the project, as it is at the stage of preliminary feasibility study (pre-feasibility study). The final time frame will be clarified based on the results of the development of feasibility studies, design estimates, as well as obtaining the necessary approvals and permits.
The project is planned to be implemented as part of a public-private partnership (PPP) and will include a pre-construction phase (engineering training, design, tenders for equipment) lasting 12-24 months, as well as the main construction phase. The total construction period is estimated at 48-60 months. The service life of a hydroelectric power plant of this type is on average 50-70 years.
The development plan of the hydropower industry of Kazakhstan for 2020-2030 indicated the construction of two hydropower plants on the Tentek River: the first with a capacity of 5 MW in the Alakol district and the second with a capacity of 50 MW (the area was not specified). Both stations were to be built and commissioned by Zhetysu Hydro in 2026.
According to the results of the bidding process held on November 12, 2024 for the selection of projects for the construction of hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) with a total installed capacity of 100 MW, companies that offered electricity tariffs close to the maximum won, KOREM reported. In particular, according to the results of the auction, Baskan Irrigation registered in Almaty (electricity generation by hydroelectric power plants) will build a hydroelectric power plant with a capacity of 30 MW at a price of 41.22 tenge per kWh (excluding VAT), which is only one tiyn lower than the starting price. All other companies participating in the auction received less profitable contracts.
Basket Irrigation is owned by EnergyBridge Ltd, a private company registered in the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC). (the activities of holding companies and the production of electricity by hydroelectric power plants), which, in turn, is owned by the private company PowerBridge Limited, Kairat Orazbekov and Alain Baigazin. The PowerBridge Limited registered in the AIFC (other financial services, financing in various sectors of the economy, investment activities) is owned by the private company KAZ Minerals Holding Limited registered in the AIFC (activities of holding companies) and Alain Baigazin.
KAZ Minerals Holding Limited is owned by KAZ Minerals International DMCC registered in the UAE (Dubai). Dubai KAZ Minerals International DMCC belongs to Kazakhstan Trianon Limited, the ultimate co-owners of which are Vladimir Kim and Oleg Novachuk. 63.5% of the KAZ Minerals copper group belongs to entrepreneur Vladimir Kim, who ranks third in the list of the richest Kazakhstanis, according to Forbes, with a fortune of $5.7 billion. 36.5% of KAZ Minerals is owned by Oleg Novachuk, who ranks 20th in the list of the richest Kazakhstanis, according to Forbes, with a fortune of $481 million.
Zhanbolat Mamyshev (“Kursiv”)
