Eni and KMG to build their new power station with a delay

Alongside the construction of a hybrid power station, a substation and a power line will also be built to transfer electricity to the power grid / Photo: Kursiv.media, photo editor: Milosh Muratovskiy

A subsidiary of Mangystau Power B.V., responsible for the construction of a hybrid power station in the town of Zhanaozen, Mangystau region, will build a substation and a power line to deliver electricity from the new 247-megawatt hybrid station to the national grid. This additional infrastructure means the overall project will be completed later than initially planned. KazMunayGas (KMG) had previously announced that the power station would be fully operational by the end of 2025. However, no reason for the delay has been disclosed.

The construction of the hybrid power station is scheduled to begin this year and is now expected to be completed in 2026. Once commissioned, the station is projected to operate for 25 years.

KMG and Eni finalized an agreement on the 247-megawatt project in January 2024. The station will use a combination of natural gas, solar and wind energy. Both companies have taken on similar financial commitments under the project.

The agreement was signed during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Rome, Italy. At the time, KMG CEO Magzum Mirzagaliyev noted that the company had been in discussions with its Italian partners about the hybrid station since 2023.

The $306-million project will include a wind farm generating 77 megawatts; a solar plant producing 50 megawatts, developed in partnership with Eni’s subsidiary Plenitude; and a gas-powered station with a capacity of 15 megawatts. According to KMG, the wind station was originally expected to be launched in 2024, with the full hybrid station operational by the end of 2025. Construction officially began in July 2024.

Once operational, approximately 40% of the electricity generated by the hybrid station will come from renewable sources, significantly reducing carbon emissions. The facility is expected to supply electricity to KMG subsidiaries in the region, including Ozenmunaigas and the Kazakh Gas Processing Plant, thereby reducing the risk of production stoppages caused by frequent blackouts.

During the construction phase, the project employs around 800 people. Once operational, the station will have a permanent workforce of 70 employees.