At the enlarged Government session under the chairmanship of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reported on the implementation of key projects in promising sectors of the economy, El.kz cites primeminister.kz.
In the sphere of oil and gas chemistry and coal chemistry this year it is planned to build a plant for the production of polyethylene worth $7.4 billion. At the same time, the development of the project for the construction of a plant for the production of butadiene worth $1.3 billion will begin. In Pavlodar region, with the support of the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, an investor begins construction of a plant for the production of alkylate. Mining company ‘Qarmet’ begins implementation of a project worth $262 million to process 200,000 tonnes of coal tar per year with the production of more than 15 types of products of carbon chemistry. Head of the Government reported that the Chinese company China Energy confirmed interest in implementation of a number of investment projects on coal chemistry in Kazakhstan for $4 billion. Today a suitable coal deposit is being selected.
Taking into account the tasks set by the Head of State to increase the level of processing in the mining and metallurgical industry in Abai region, the implementation of a copper smelting plant project worth more than $1 billion, which will allow to process almost all copper concentrate exported today. A ferroalloys plant with a capacity of 160,000 tonnes of ferrosilicon is under construction in the Pavlodar region. In the same region, design work has begun on the construction of a hydrometallurgical plant with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes of gold-copper concentrate and 15 tonnes of gold. Qarmet Metallurgical Plant is modernising its plant to gradually enter the production of higher-value-added metals, including automotive steel. In 2024, 25,000 tonnes of alloy steel used in the automotive and car building industries, as well as in the production of household appliances, will be produced.
To deepen the processing of agricultural products, a number of projects are being implemented in the country's regions. In the Kostanay region, a wheat processing plant with the production of starch products and bioethanol worth $132 million, and in the Turkestan region a corn processing plant with a capacity of 150,000 tonnes will open this year. A project to build a plant for deep processing of wheat and peas with a capacity of 320,000 tonnes of starch, gluten and fructose syrup has also been launched in Astana. At the same time, a sunflower processing plant with a capacity of 1,200 tonnes per day is planned to be launched in North Kazakhstan region in 2025. A number of investors have expressed interest in implementing industrial hemp processing projects. Several companies have already been granted licences to cultivate hemp, which will eventually produce cold-pressed oil, animal feed, fertiliser and fibre.
Within the framework of implementation of the task on disclosure of transport and logistic potential this year it is planned to complete construction of Dostyk-Moyinty and Almaty bypass railways. Head of the Government informed that the implementation of the projects Darbaza-Maktaaral and Bakhty-Ayagoz continues.
Laying of a new railway line Moyinty-Kyzylzhar, as well as construction of the second tracks of the section Altynkol-Zhetygen will begin. To increase the tourism potential of Katon-Karagai, Zaisan and Kenderli, construction of three airports will start. A project to create an aerohub in Aktau is also being worked out. Plans to start construction of a fibre-optic communication line along the Caspian Sea bed this year have been announced.
In accordance with the task set by the President to reduce the wear and tear of networks in the energy sector, the Government is taking a number of relevant measures. Thus, implementation of projects on construction of 3 cogeneration plants in the cities of Kokshetau, Semey, Ust-Kamenogorsk with gradual commissioning till 2032 has been started. Only this year 166 MW of steam and hydro generation, 450 MW will be introduced at 10 RES facilities. The Prime Minister reported on the start of construction of a plant for the production of basic components for wind power plants. Also, design works on connection of electric networks of Western Kazakhstan to the unified energy system are currently underway. The necessary agreements for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in the Almaty region are planned to be concluded in the near future. Analyses of regions are being finalised to identify possible locations for the construction of the second NPP.
In the oil and gas sector, KazMunaiGas has started drilling on four projects in the Kyzylorda, Atyrau and Aktobe regions in 2024. The total geological resources of these projects amount to more than 800 million tonnes of oil equivalent. Head of the Government stressed that this year the first Kazakhstani shale oil is expected to be produced, which will create additional incentives to attract investment in the oil and gas industry. At the same time, gas production will start at the fields "Zapadnaya Prorva" and "Barkhannaya" with reserves of about 19 billion cubic metres. Also, a large deposit containing 17 types of rare earth metals has been discovered in the Karaganda region. The relevant documentation is being developed for the production of graphite concentrate in the region, which is used in the production of batteries for electric vehicles. Construction of gas processing plants at Kashagan and in Zhanaozen continues. Olzhas Bektenov noted that investments are expected to start work on the design of the second GPP at Kashagan and GPP at Karachaganak.
It was noted that in general, the Government has more than eight hundred promising projects under control.