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China and Kazakhstan jointly build wind power station to serve millions of households

2021-7-14 10:16:38

As the final connection instruction was issued, the 40th wind turbine of the 100mw Wind Power Station in Zhanatas was successfully connected to the State Grid of Kazakhstan. This marks the successful full-capacity connection of the entire Zhanatas wind power project.

The 100mw Wind Power Station is in Zhanatas, a city located in the south of Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan, thermal power accounts for more than 80% of the total power generation and concentrates in the northern region rich in coal resources. Southern cities, however, are facing a wide gap between power demand and supply, thus needing power to be transmitted from the northern region over a long distance.

In such a context, developing renewable energy, diversifying the simplex power structure, and narrowing the gap between the north and the south have become high priorities and posed great challenges for the Kazakh government. Zhanatas Wind Power Station, jointly funded by SINOTECH, a subsidiary of State Power Investment Corporation from China, and Visor, a Kazakh enterprise, is one of the largest wind power projects in Central Asia in terms of capacity, targeted right on the pain point.

Since the project kicked off in July 2019, the parties involved have overcome many difficulties such as the repeated hit of the Covid-19 pandemic, the detention of equipment at customs, and the impact of the seasonally frozen ground. Following the grid connection, the project is expected to generate 350 million kWh of clean power annually, and thus rewrite the history of power shortage in southern Kazakhstan.

“After the project is fully connected to the grid, its annual capacity may satisfy the demand of millions of families. Compared with coal-fired power plants of the same capacity, it can save up to 109,500 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 289,000 tons per year,” said Guo Qiang, General Manager of Zanatas Wind Power Station Company: “We have fulfilled our commitment, and Zanatas Wind Power Station has become a beautiful landscape in southern Kazakhstan.”

After being connected to the grid, the wind turbines attracted numerous residents who came to take group photos, showing great admiration for the clean energy project standing in front of them.

“Zanatas is lucky. This small town along the Silk Road, with a population of merely 20,000, has caught up with the new energy trend,” said Almas Chukin, Managing Partner of Visor Investments LLC, the local partner of the wind power project: “The project has brought new jobs to its residents, new taxes, and new life to the city.”

While implementing the project, Zanatas Wind Power Company is also delivering on its social responsibilities. Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the company maintained communication with the local government, visited impoverished households, donated basic living materials, and repaired housing for vulnerable groups including people with a disability, women, and children.

A single mother with four children holds down three jobs to support her family. When she saw the repaired house, she said, “In the past, the government gave us some food every year, but I’d never thought that a foreign enterprise could help us like this. We will always keep in mind that a Chinese enterprise have given us a warm home.” In front of the renovated house, a group of children circled around the project staff, saying happily, “Thank you uncles.”

At the 50th founding anniversary of the city of Zanatas, Zanatas Wind Power Company and the local government jointly built a tree-lined public park covering an area of 5,000 square meters. Today, the park has become a new landmark in Zanatas, offering yet another recreational resort to more than 20,000 local residents.

“I am proud to be part of such a Chinese company. The Zanatas wind power project will bring hope to all the people of Kazakhstan.” said Kseniya, a Kazakh employee.

(Source: CCPIT/China Trade News)