Pavlodar Region: Government Allocates Funds for Heating Network Repairs

Kazakhstan has earmarked 3.8 billion tenge for repairs to heating infrastructure in Pavlodar and Yekibastuz, according to a new resolution signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Orda.kz reports.

Most of the funds — ₸3 billion — will go toward emergency repairs in Yekibastuz, while ₸800 million will be spent on constructing a new heating main in Pavlodar.

The move is part of a broader effort to overhaul the region’s aging utility infrastructure following the 2022 heating incident, when thousands in Yekibastuz were left without heat during extreme cold.

That winter, a major breakdown at the city’s thermal power plant (then owned by Pavlodarenergo LLP, part of the TSATEK group) exposed the consequences of years of underinvestment.

At the time, depreciation of equipment stood at over 80%.

Since then, the government has launched upgrades to boilers and pipelines under the "Tariff in Exchange for Investment" program, bringing the depreciation rate down to 79.7%.

Still, officials admit current funding won't be enough. In Pavlodar alone, a proposed additional heating highway meant to supply up to 30% of the city’s needs will require nearly ₸10 billion more.

After the 2022 incident, the state moved to take control of Yekibastuz CHPP-1 from private owners Alexander Klebanov and Sergey Kan. The acquisition, announced in 2023, aimed to accelerate long-overdue modernization.

Klebanov and Kan had faced criticism over their management of energy assets, particularly for delaying infrastructure upgrades despite strong profits.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov