Kazakhstan and France move to active phase of mega wind farm project
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Energy Minister, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, met with the top management of the French energy giant TotalEnergies, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the ministry’s press service.
The meeting participants included Mansur Zhakupov, Senior Vice President for the Asia-Pacific Region at TotalEnergies EP, and Frode Ljones, the Managing Director at TotalEnergies EP Kazakhstan.
The conversation centered on the status of the company’s major investments in Kazakhstan, including the development of the 1 GW 'Mirny' wind farm, set to become the country's largest wind energy project.
This project serves as a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan and France in decarbonization efforts, formally solidified by a Special Agreement between the two governments.
The facility's uniqueness is its hybrid design: in addition to wind generation, the complex will be equipped with a robust 300 MW/600 MWh energy storage system to stabilize power delivery to the national grid. The project also involves the construction of 280 kilometers of high-voltage lines to connect the site to the "UKGRES" and "Shu" substations.
Concluding the meeting, Yerlan Akkenzhenov assured the foreign partners of continued constructive dialogue and comprehensive support from the Ministry of Energy to ensure the timely commissioning of the facilities and the further strengthening of investment ties between the two nations.
The Ministry of Energy noted that implementing this project with TotalEnergies will make a substantial contribution to Kazakhstan’s carbon neutrality goals, provide the region with clean energy, and establish a foundation for developing new technological expertise in the renewable energy sector.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that a Chinese company will invest $1 billion in building solar and wind power plants in Kazakhstan
