Where Do The Trillions Go? Kazakhstan Lawmakers Demand Tighter Oversight Of Energy Sector

Deputies are calling for tighter oversight of the “Tariff in Exchange for Investment” program. The Energy Ministry said the sector has received nearly one trillion tenge in investment, Orda.kz reports.

Parliamentarians argue that the new single-buyer model and balancing market only obscure the real state of affairs. In their view, suppliers in this market act as unnecessary intermediaries and profit “out of thin air.” The deputies propose that the government use these internal reserves to upgrade equipment instead of shifting costs onto the public through constant tariff increases.

In response to the deputies’ request, the Energy Ministry said the generation sector received 902 billion tenge in investment in 2023–2025. The ministry also said financing comes exclusively through the electricity market, meaning the state budget does not bear the costs.

The response also states that last year specialists repaired 10 power units, 63 boilers, and 39 turbines. According to the ministry, this helped increase generation capacity to 17,273 MW and reduce wear at CHPPs from 64% to 59%. Another nine power units, 55 boilers, and 51 turbines are currently undergoing repairs.

To avoid repeating past mistakes, the ministry introduced special obligations for energy companies on April 1, 2024. Station owners are now required to reduce equipment wear, cut harmful emissions, and increase productivity. In the first quarter of 2026, the ministry conducted 58 inspections, identified 20 violations, and fined companies 63.7 million tenge,the ministry said.

At the same time, the ministry noted that replacing all equipment at once would create an energy shortage, so modernization is being carried out in stages.

Original author: Eva Golovintseva

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