ASTANA, April 17. /TASS/. The Energy Ministries of Kazakhstan and Russia signed an agreement on the construction of three coal-fired thermal power plants in the republic, the press service of the Energy Ministry of Kazakhstan reported.

"Today, at the Energy Ministry of Kazakhstan, an agreement was signed between the Energy Ministries of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on cooperation on projects for the construction of thermal power plants in the cities of Kokshetau, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk. Authorized organizations represented by Inter RAO Export LLC and Samruk-Energo JSC were identified as the parties," the statement says.

The ministry noted that the authorized organization from the Kazakh side, represented by Samruk-Energo JSC, has already drawn up a roadmap for the start of the construction of the first thermal power plant this year.

"The construction of three new thermal power plants in three regional centers - Semey, Kokshetau and Ust-Kamenogorsk, taking into account the extensive reserves of thermal coal, will give a powerful impetus to their further development," Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev said.

Earlier, Satkaliev said that the Kazakh authorities, together with their Russian partners - the Inter RAO-Export company - could begin construction of a thermal power plant in Kokshetau this year. According to him, feasibility studies for two more TPP projects are being completed. After that technical solutions will be approved, equipment will be ordered and the final construction schedule will be approved.

In November 2023, following the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kazakhstan, the energy ministries of Kazakhstan and Russia signed a memorandum of cooperation on the construction of thermal power plants in Kokshetau, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk. Later, cooperation agreements were signed between the Kazakh Samruk-Kazyna JSC and Inter RAO Export LLC on projects for the construction of three thermal power plants in Kazakhstan.