QAZAQ GREEN.  Kazakhstan has launched construction of a strategic 1-gigawatt wind power plant in the Pavlodar region, near the city of Ekibastuz, the country's Ministry of Energy announced.

The project is being developed by China's State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) in partnership with Kazakh company Pavlodar Green Energy LLP, under agreements signed with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy on January 29 this year. Total foreign direct investment in the project stands at $1.2 billion, with commissioning scheduled for 2029.

A key technological feature of the new wind farm will be an integrated 300 MW energy storage system — designed to smooth out natural fluctuations in renewable generation and ensure stable power output to Kazakhstan's Unified Power System.

Once operational, the facility is expected to generate 3.4 billion kWh of electricity annually, making a significant contribution to the country's energy balance. On the environmental side, the project is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 2 million tonnes of CO₂ per year — the equivalent of taking hundreds of thousands of cars off the road.

The initiative is being advanced under the QAZAQ GREEN national platform, which coordinates Kazakhstan's renewable energy development. Officials say the project reflects the country's commitment to attracting advanced clean energy technologies through international partnerships.

In January,  Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, explained in the Mazhilis why large renewable energy projects are being developed in the Pavlodar and Karaganda regions.