Technology group Wärtsilä, which has maintained a presence in Kazakhstan since the early 1990s, has secured an order to supply engineered equipment for a 120 MW power plant under construction in Kazakhstan.
The order, placed by Kazakhstan Caspian Offshore Industries (KCOI) and booked in the fourth quarter of 2024, includes six Wärtsilä 46TS-SG gas-fueled large-bore engines along with mechanical and electrical auxiliary systems.
“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,” stated Mirko Borghesi, CEO of KCOI.
KCOI, the main contractor for a major hybrid power project in the Mangystau region, is developing a facility that will integrate the engine power plant with a 77 MW wind farm and a 50 MW solar plant. Once completed, the project will deliver electricity to oil and gas operations in the area. The fast-starting Wärtsilä engines will ensure a stable and reliable power supply to offset the natural fluctuations of renewable energy generation.
“This is a major hybrid power project that also supports Kazakhstan to move towards decarbonised energy production and Wärtsilä is proud to be a participating partner,” commented Kenneth Engblom, Vice President of Africa and Europe at Wärtsilä Energy. “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.”
In addition, the Wärtsilä equipment is set to be delivered by late 2025, with the project slated to become fully operational by mid-2026.
