Expert: Lack of Law and Reforms Cause Issues with Thermal Power Plants and Heating Networks

Issues with heating continue this year. Orda has reached out to an expert to find out how to improve boiler stations, thermal power plants, and heating networks in Kazakhstan.

Honored Power Engineer of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Managing Director of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken", Zhakyp Khairushyev, said that he was disappointed by the lack of reforms in the energy market. This, in particular, concerns the law on heat supply. 

After all, it should be like this: if a CHP plant breaks down, then one entity should handle it. But all this is being solved within the framework of three ministries that deal with industry and construction, housing and communal services, energy and ecology. These functions must be inextricably linked if we want plans to improve the industry not to remain only on paper. But the very inertia of decisions in the thermal power industry does not allow officials to move in a single direction,  said Zhakyp Khairushyev.

According to the expert, changes in the law were designed to prevent heat supply issues and ensure this supply to settlements. But so far this has proven to be unattainable.

The situation around the heat market directly affects people. Unfortunately, the "dragging" in reforms is already affecting the competitiveness of businesses and the comfortable life of citizens. Within the framework of this law, it was necessary to develop new requirements for the maintenance of heating networks and preparation for the heating season. The Ministry (preferably a unified one) should approve heat supply schemes in the regions and establish stricter reliability criteria and requirements for the maintenance of systems. Local authorities should check and evaluate the readiness of heat supply, heating grid and housing, and communal organizations for cold weather. And the inspectors of the State Energy Supervision should evaluate this work, Zhakyp Khairushyev believes.

In the occurrence of defects, a contractor must bear administrative liability, the expert added. Meanwhile, akimats, together with emergency services, should develop an action plan for responding to and remedying emergencies along with updating the heat supply scheme before each heating season. 

"It is these changes that are designed to improve the quality and safety of heat supply to settlements, ensuring reliable operation of boiler stations, thermal power plants and engineering networks and housing and communal services in general. And today's situation resembles a well-known fable: a swan, a crab, and a pike pull the industry in different directions," concluded the power engineer.  

According to Zhakyp Khairushyev, a positive note for 2023 is the creation of a single buyer for the centralized purchase and sale of electric energy. The initiative was implemented for more than five years. As the NPP's managing director noted, it has helped solve many issues in the wholesale electricity market, especially dependence on intermediaries.

Original Author: Alexander Smolin

DISCLAIMER: This is a translated piece. The text has been modified, the content is the same. Please refer to the original article in Russian for accuracy.