ALMATY, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan's new power generation projects will require more than 19 million tons of coal annually by 2032, the country's Energy Ministry said Monday.
The ministry said it is developing a national project to expand coal-fired power generation to cement coal's role as a strategic asset for Kazakhstan, which holds more than 33 billion tons of coal reserves.
The initiative extends beyond power generation to encompass comprehensive industrial development, including attracting investment, modernizing infrastructure, adopting environmental technologies and strengthening the workforce, it said.
Earlier, the ministry said it plans to allocate more than 8 trillion tenge (16 billion U.S. dollars) for the implementation of the national plan through 2030, which is aimed at providing a long-term solution to energy shortages and modernizing the country's aging power generation capacity.
Under the plan, Kazakhstan would commission and modernize 7.6 gigawatts of generating capacity, build six major power facilities, and carry out technical upgrades at existing plants. Special emphasis will be placed on facilities using "clean coal" technologies and incorporating advanced systems, the ministry said. ■