Kazakhstan to pay Chinese plant in Almaty half rate for electricity
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Kazakhstan will pay 55 tenge per kWh for electricity from a Chinese-built waste-to-energy plant in Almaty, more than half below the current 130 tenge cap for such facilities, according to Ruslan Tukenov, director of the waste management department at the Ministry of Ecology. The plant, under construction by Junxin Environmental Protection, is expected to start operations in 2027. The preferential tariff has drawn criticism from local energy producers.
The Tariff Decision
The Ministry of Ecology approved a tariff of 55 tenge per kWh for electricity generated by the Almaty waste-to-energy plant, built by China's Junxin Environmental Protection. This is less than half the current maximum tariff of 130 tenge per kWh for similar facilities in Kazakhstan. The decision was announced by Ruslan Tukenov, director of the ministry's waste management department. The plant is expected to begin operations in 2027.
Market Impact
The preferential rate has sparked concern among domestic energy producers, who argue it undercuts local generation costs. Kazakhstan's current average electricity price for industrial consumers is around 25 tenge per kWh, but waste-to-energy plants typically require higher tariffs to be viable. The government has not disclosed the total subsidy or the contract duration with Junxin.
What's Next
The Ministry of Ecology is expected to publish the full tariff methodology within weeks. It remains unclear whether the lower rate will apply to future waste-to-energy projects or remain exclusive to the Almaty plant.
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Kazakhstan to pay Chinese plant in Almaty half rate for electricity
