Ekibastuz-3 power station

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Ekibastuz-3 power station (Экибастузская ГРЭС-3) is an announced power station in Ekibastuz, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Ekibastuz-3 power station Ekibastuz, Ekibastuz, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan 52.023972, 75.47625 (approximate)

The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.

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Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year
Unit 1 announced coal: bituminous 660[1] unknown 2029 (planned)[2]
Unit 2 announced coal: bituminous 660[1] unknown 2029 (planned)[2]

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Unit 1 Samruk-Energo JSC [100%] Samruk-Energo JSC [100.0%]
Unit 2 Samruk-Energo JSC [100%] Samruk-Energo JSC [100.0%]

Project-level coal details

  • Coal source(s): Ekibastuz coal basin

Background

The Ekibastuz-3 power station was announced in late 2022, although wider media coverage appeared only in January 2023.[3][4][5][6]

The project was announced by Almasadam Satkaliyev, head of the National Welfare Fund of Samruk-Kazyna during the cabinet session on the development of the electric power industry.[3] Later in January 2023 a press release by Samruk-Energo mentioned the proposed GRES-3 among other initiatives, including the 3 additional coal units at Ekibastuz-2 power station.[6]

The proposal has been criticized as it came around the same time as Kazakhstan launched a new strategy designed to transform its economy to low-carbon version by 2060.[3] The strategy was approved in February 2023 and emphasized the reduction in the share of coal generation while increasing the share of renewable generation, as well as use of natural gas an intermediate fuel. The strategy also mentioned that the the capacity structure will include nuclear power and hydropower.[7] The strategy did not specifically include new coal plants, however it noted that in the medium and long term, the use of CCS technology is expected for those units that will continue operation after 2035, while a vision will be developed for the decommissioning of coal facilities with a current life of more than 30 years.[7]

Ekibastuz-3 power station would utilise the infrastructure of the existing Ekibastuz-2 power station and Ekibastuz-1 power station and use the latest technologies to reduce emissions.[6]

A media report from April 2023 stated that the possibility of the project was being reviewed by Samruk-Energo.[8]

In June 2023, Interfax reported that the Kazakh authorities were negotiating the construction of a 1,200-MW coal-fired power plant with potential investors.[9] The head of the power industry department in the Ministry of Energy stated that the Ministry set a target to build coal-fired plants to cover the deficit of power electricity. "Although the international institutions had already stopped financing coal generation, there are potential investors who can help build these stations and they were talking with China and India."[9]

A media report from October 2023 stated that according to Samruk-Energy, estimated investment cost is $1.2m per 1MW, so the cost of the power plant is projected at $1.44-1.56bn. The project is planned to be implemented in 2023-2028. Samruk-Energy held talks with five potential partner companies on 22-23rd of August 2023. All of them represented China: Energy China, Power China, China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), TBEA and Huadian Corporation. Samruk-Energy signed an agreement to develop a pre-feasibility study (PFS) to be completed by 1 March 2024. The EPC contract is scheduled to be awarded in the second quarter of 2024. Due to the power deficit in the country, the government may adopt changes in regulations that will allow constructing power plants without conducting tenders.[10]

A media source from December 2023 confirmed that Adani Group will not participate in the construction of the plant, due to higher profitability expectations of the Group. In turn, Chinese companies - in particular CMEC - can't participate in the construction of coal plants abroad and would have problems raising financing, although they could act as engineering and design contractors and even equipment suppliers. According to the report, Russia emerges as the only party that can build and supply equipment for Ekibastuz GRES-3, and financing terms are being discussed with a number of Russian financial institutions with up to 70-80% of debt financing.[11]

In January 2024, government reporting stated that the Chinese equipment previously delivered for Unit 3 of Ekibastuz-2 power station will be used in this project instead. Work was underway to attract strategic investors, as well as to determine a return on investment mechanism with the Ministry of Energy. Securing an investor and financing was planned for Q2-Q3 2024 and signing of the EPC contract for Q3-Q4 2024, with commissioning in 2029.[12]

In March 2024, there were reports of intentions to buy out the land for the project.[13] As of September 2024, there was no further news on the project.

Articles and Resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240218225021/https://primeminister.kz/ru/news/minenergo-razrabotal-plan-meropriyatiy-po-razvitiyu-elektroenergeticheskoy-otrasli-budut-vvedeny-26-gvt-novykh-generiruyushchikh-moshchnostey-26978. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240417094445/https://www.gov.kz/uploads/2024/2/20/60845b9bf4f31194ae43ed12483269a5_original.241160.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Kazakhstan pursues green energy through coal power plants". kz.kursiv.media. 22 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "В Экибастузе обещают построить ГРЭС-3 до 2029 года". inbusiness.kz. January 27, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. "Стали известны сроки строительства ГРЭС-3 в Экибастузе". www.inform.kz. January 27, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "В Алматы обсудили энергетические проекты". www.samruk-energy.kz. January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. 7.0 7.1 Указ Президента Республики Казахстан (2 February 2023). "Об утверждении Стратегии достижения углеродной нейтральности Республики Казахстан до 2060 года". adilet.zan.kz.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. "Как регулирование майнинга сказалось на энергосистеме Казахстана". kz.kursiv.media. April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Kazakhstan seeks investment partners to build 1200 MW coal power plant - ministry". https://interfax.com/. 1 June 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. "Дефицит заставит: правительство наделят правом договариваться о строительстве электростанций без проведения тендера". kz.kursiv.media. October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. "Пострадавший от атаки шортистов индийский миллиардер отказался от строительства крупной угольной станции в Казахстане". kz.kursiv.media. 7 December 2023. Retrieved via the Wayback Machine. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. "Какие крупные энергопроекты планируют реализовать в Казахстане до 2035 года". inbusiness.kz. 16 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. "Землю под ГРЭС-3 в Экибастузе собирались купить за 1 млрд тенге". /www.inform.kz. March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.