Technology group Wärtsilä, which has been doing business in Kazakhstan since the early 1990s, will supply the engineered equipment for a new 120 MW power plant under construction in that country. The order was placed by Kazakhstan Caspian Offshore Industries (KCOI) and booked by Wärtsilä in Q4 2024. The order scope includes six Wärtsilä 46TS-SG gas-fuelled large bore engines, as well as mechanical and electrical auxiliary equipment.
KCOI is the main contractor for the development of a major hybrid power project in the Mangystau region, which in addition to the engine power plant, will comprise a 77 MW wind power plant and a 50 MW solar power plant. When completed, the project will supply electrical power to oil and gas facilities in the region. The fast-starting Wärtsilä engines will provide the necessary secure and stable supply needed to compensate for the intrinsic fluctuation of electricity generation from the renewable sources.
Commenting on the project, Mirko Borghesi, CEO of KCOI, said, “This will be the first hybrid project of its type to be implemented in Kazakhstan. The engine power plant is essential to enable a stable and reliable supply of electricity, and the Wärtsilä engines will efficiently regulate the frequency and voltage to ensure this reliability is achieved.”
Equipment delivery is scheduled for the end of 2025, and the project is expected to be fully operational by mid-2026. Highlighting the importance of the project, Kenneth Engblom, Vice President, Africa and Europe at Wärtsilä Energy, said, “This is a major hybrid power project that also supports Kazakhstan to move towards decarbonised energy production. In order for widescale integration of power from renewable sources, grid balancing capabilities are necessary, and the Wärtsilä engines are ideally suited to provide this.”
