Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister, Danial Akhmetov, has called for the drawing up of a development programme for the hydroelectric power industry until 2010, and a prospective development plan up until 2015.
According to the Interfax news agency. Akhmetov noted that Kazakhstan is short of electricity, especially in its southern regions. A number of hydroelectric power projects are under consideration, including the modernisation of the Shardarin hydroelectric power plant in eastern Kazakhstan, and the construction of the 300MW Moinak hydro plant in the Almaty oblast (region).
Kazakhstan has signed a US$200M loan agreement with the China Development Bank (CDB) to fund the Moinak plant’s construction.