Kazakhstan plans to modernize housing and utilities infrastructure

Modernization of the housing and utilities infrastructure was discussed at a meeting of the National headquarters for the implementation of the President of Kazakhstan’s election program. Thus, there are plans to submit a report with an action plan for overhauling the country’s thermal power plants by the end of May. It is noteworthy that a rating of the thermal power stations’ technical condition has been compiled based on a technical audit of 56 facilities conducted by the World Bank and the international company KPMG. The ‘Tariff in exchange for investment’ program aims to modernize and perform major repairs of the country's entire life-support system, with the goal of reducing wear on Kazakhstan’s electricity, heat, water, and sewerage networks by 20 percent. Over 145,000 kilometers of utilities need to be repaired to achieve this target. A gradual change of tariffs for housing and communal services and the repair of over 5,000 kilometers of engineering networks are scheduled for this year. Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov instructed the prompt submission of utility companies' applications for tariff adjustments and the completion of a survey of heating networks for their repair by the end of June.