Kazakhstan is moving forward with plans to integrate small-scale hydropower generation into its existing water management infrastructure. The state-owned enterprise Kazvodkhoz is currently seeking regulatory approval for engineering plans to install generating equipment at the Samarkand, Kargala, and Karakol reservoirs. These projects, located in the Karaganda, Aktobe, and Abai regions, represent a broader strategy to utilize irrigation and flood control assets for renewable energy production.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation intends to expand this model to five additional sites, with three projects earmarked for private investment. This initiative follows a technical review conducted under a government program adopted in late 2023. Experts have identified 29 dams across the country where turbines can be installed without disrupting primary functions such as agricultural irrigation or the supply of drinking water.
By utilizing existing dams and reservoirs, the government aims to increase renewable capacity while avoiding the environmental and social costs associated with large-scale dam construction. Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Yerbolat Ibraykhanov stated that the planned installations are expected to contribute a total of 30 megawatts to the national grid. The ministry is drawing on operational experience from existing small-scale plants at the Sergeevka, Intumak, and Dostyk hydraulic facilities.
This shift toward decentralized hydropower comes as Kazakhstan seeks to diversify its energy mix – which remains heavily dependent on coal. The integration of small hydroelectric units into the current water network provides a means to increase local power supply without requiring significant new land inundation or extensive environmental modification of river systems.
