Kazakhstan’s government has allocated KZT 1.7bn ($3.3mn) from its reserve fund for continued repair work at the Ridder Thermal Power Plant (CHPP), following directives from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The resolution approving the funding was signed by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.

The funds will be transferred as targeted current transfers to the budget of the East Kazakhstan region, earmarked specifically for repair work at the aging power station in Ridder city.

This latest allocation adds to the KZT 15.5bn ($29.9mn) that has already been directed to the Ridder CHPP over the past two years from both the national reserve and regional budget. Those investments have led to significant improvements in infrastructure, including repairs to boilers and turbines. As a result, the wear level of the thermal station has been reduced from 75% to 46%.

In parallel, 21.3 kilometers of heating networks have been repaired, lowering the wear rate of these systems from 82% to 67%. However, additional work remains. According to government sources, some critical components—including boiler units, turbo units, and complex and open distribution devices—were not covered under the 2023–2024 repair campaign and are still in need of urgent attention.

The newly allocated funds are expected to support timely and high-quality repairs to ensure the power plant’s reliable operation during the 2025–2026 heating season.

In 2024, in a move aimed at stabilizing management and improving operational efficiency, the entire property complex of the Ridder CHPP was transferred to municipal ownership. The transfer is intended to strengthen financial and staffing capacity and to improve long-term sustainability of the plant’s operations.