The PCK`s Secretariat informs that on May 17, 2023, the Sheraton Astana Hotel hosted the conference "Sustainable Energy Security through an Energy Transition", organized by the international think tank NNWI, which is engaged in the development of green energy, including nuclear, as a means to provide countries with a sustainable energy.
Deputies of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan took part in the conference: M.Z. Iskandirov and R.S. Kozhasbaev, representatives: Samruk-Energy JSC; RSE "NNC RK"; RSE "INP" ME RK; ALE "STC SNT" ME RK; Association "NSK"; PCK at KazNANS; Public Council under the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, NGO "ITUNIW" of the Republic of Kazakhstan, representative of the British Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the media of the Republic of Kazakhstan. About 80 people in total.
Welcoming speeches were made by: Tim Yeo - President of NNWI, Kirri Hendriksen - Second Secretary of the British Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan on Climate and Green Transition and Professor Akhmetov T.Z. - Secretary of the Pugwash Committee of Kazakhstan.
The purpose of the conference was to discuss the issues of the most effective methods of managing the energy sector in the transition period, as well as the role of nuclear energy in the country's energy balance.
The conference program consisted of three main panel sessions, on such key topics as:
- The current state of the energy sector in Kazakhstan (мoderator B. Ibraev, Chairman of the NNWI Advisory Council in Central Asia, member of the PAC);
- Prospects for energy sector management (moderator B. Dzhaksaliev, Honorary Power Engineer of the CIS);
- the advantage of nuclear energy and the safety of nuclear technologies (moderator, Professor I. Tazhibayeva, Executive Director of the STC SNT, member of the PCK).
Speakers at the panel sessions were: representatives of NNWI, P. Svoik - public, political figure, independent expert, G. Autalipov - Director of generation of Samruk-Energy JSC, S. Aliyev - Director of ICAT NSK, M. Zdorovets – Director of the INP branch in Astana, member of the PCK; D. Zarva - NNC RK and V. Adodin - Executive Director of EC&S.
P. Svoik presented a detailed analysis of the state of energy in Kazakhstan, noting that energy is a unique commodity that is subject to regulation, regulation, planning and no market. No private investment. You can't take money out of energy. Basically no one at all. Planning to raise tariffs to attract investors - this should be questioned! From now on, energy investment should be outside the tariff issue. Today the idea of raising the tariff in Kazakhstan is destructive.
Last winter it was discovered that by 2030 we would be moving towards a deficit, and it turned out that we are already living in a deficit. It is necessary to make a decision as soon as possible on the construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant, having built it far beyond 2030, we will not cover the deficit in electricity, gaining 2300 MW. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly complete the construction of the entire Ekibastuz GRES-2. It is also necessary to reverse the gas pipeline from Central Asia to the center, and so on. There should be a single national tariff, approved at the parliamentary level, as a price stabilizer for the overall situation in the country and with innovations.
Regarding RES. In Europe, the cost of producing energy from the sun and wind is about the same as from the atom and coal. Kazakhstan does not support tariffs for RES.
The issues of reforming the energy management remain topical. It is necessary to transfer under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy - "Samruk-Energo", as well as structurally "KEGOC", removing from "KEGOC", into a separate structure of the national operator. There should be an industry competent department represented by the Ministry of Energy.
G. Autaliev informed that over the past 5 years, the growth in electricity consumption in the country amounted to almost 9.4%, almost 10 billion, and that at the same time, the existing generating capacities are no longer able to satisfy the growing demand, confirming the comments of P. Svoik and B. Dzhaksaliyev.
He said that according to the forecast balance approved by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, by 2023 a capacity deficit of about 1.4 GW is expected, by 2029 about 3 GW. He drew attention to the fact that the existing significant reserves of uranium are a prerequisite for the development of a new source - a nuclear power plant and that the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan will open up opportunities for the nuclear industry and, in general, for the entire economy of our country, leading to the provision of reliable electricity supply to consumers for more than 60 years, and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 10 million tons per year.
Tim Yeoh, summing up the results of the conference, noted the importance of the points of view expressed by well-known power engineers - independent experts and representatives of national companies, as well as presentations by nuclear scientists.
(The program of the conference is attached).
Details can be found on the website: www.newnuclearwatchinstitute.org.
All photos provided by NNWI.