U.S. agency promotes gas-fired and renewable power in Kazakhstan

Astana, Kazakhstan, June 30 By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend: U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a grant to Batys Transit JSC (BTTR) to support a feasibility study for a gas-fired power plant project in northwest Kazakhstan, USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak said during the ceremony of awarding the grant. "We are pleased that this study will address provincial power needs and encourage industrial development in Aktobe province by assessing the potential of increasing gas-fired and renewable power generation," USTDA director said. The grant will help Batys Transit JSC determine the technical and financial feasibility of a 25-100 megawatt gas-fired power plant, as well as review options for producing renewable energy, Leocadia I. Zak added. The Aktobe province needs additional generation to meet the demand for power in northwestern Kazakhstan. This project will reduce BTTR's current purchasing of grid power to replace its line losses and potentially provide additional power to Aktobe's grid. The grant was signed by the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, Ambassador John Ordway, and BTTR's CEO, Kurmangazy Ibrahimov. The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded feasibility study will be competed on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has worked in Kazakhstan since 1992, partnering with local companies to identify projects that provide the best opportunities for both economic development and economic diversification in cooperation with U.S. firms. BTTR, a private sector transmission line operator established in 2005 to address the need for additional power supply in Aktobe province, was also one of the first successful public-private partnerships in Kazakhstan. Batys Transit JSC is jointly held by KEGOC (20 percent of shares) and Mekhenergostroy (80 percent of shares), a privately-owned Kazakhstan company. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project planning activities, pilot projects, and reverse trade missions while creating sustainable infrastructure and economic growth in partner countries. Follow us on Twitter @TRENDNewsAgency