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Dear readers,

Starting from April 13, 2025, the Order "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Orders of the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan" comes into effect, introducing changes and additions to certain orders regarding the electricity market. These changes are aimed at improving the functioning of the electricity market and integrating renewable energy sources ("RES").

The changes affect the following areas:

  1. Amendments have been made to the Rules for the Organization and Functioning of the Wholesale Electricity Market: the winner of the auction for the construction of a renewable energy facility with an energy storage system ("ESS")   under the control of the Automatic Frequency and Power Flow Control System ("AFPFCS") shall not use the ESS for the purchase and sale of scheduled electricity volumes included in the daily production-consumption schedule, approved by the system operator in the wholesale electricity market1.
  2. The Rules for the Functioning of the Balancing Electricity Market have been amended: winners of auctions for RES projects can sell balancing electricity to a single buyer and purchase negative imbalances from them if their ESS are connected to AFPFCS. Winners do not conclude contracts for power regulation services2. Moreover, new price coefficients apply for new RES facilities with ESS introduced after July 20233.

    Additionally, the system operator now informs about any deviations in the ESS of auction winners caused by the influence of the AFPFCS4. Additionally, auction winners cover the positive imbalance of the ESS caused by AFPFCS by purchasing balancing electricity from the BE MO according to the established formula5.
  3. In the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities outlined the procedure for selling electricity to the single buyer for auction winners of RES projects with a capacity exceeding 499 MW, upon the introduction of ESS with a volume of at least 30% of the facility's capacity and their management by the AFPFCS6. Additionally, requirements are set for auction winners to maintain the capacity of ESS7 and ensure their technical feasibility8.

    Auction winners must provide copies of the acceptance certificate for the commercial electricity metering scheme9 and a copy of the commissioning certificate for the automated commercial metering system10. For facilities with a capacity exceeding 499 MW, certificates for the ESS of the RES facility must also be provided11.
  4. The Rules for the Certification of Electric Capacity of Generating Units have been amended: now ESS must undergo regular certification and maintain power and capacity parameters throughout their operational life. The certification process includes three stages:
  • full discharge,
  • charge, and
  • repeated discharge, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of the system's functionality and reliability12.

    Charging and discharging refer to the process of accumulating energy to a nominal state for subsequent release, as specified by the technical specifications of the equipment used13.

1 p. 3 of the Rules for the Organization and Functioning of the Wholesale Electricity Market;

2 p. 70-1 of the Rules for the Functioning of the Balancing Electricity Market;

3sub. 2 p. 132 of the Rules for the Functioning of the Balancing Electricity Market;

4sub. 10-1 p. 79 of the Rules for the Functioning of the Balancing Electricity Market;

5 p. 87-1 of the Rules for the Functioning of the Balancing Electricity Market;

6 p. 6-1 of the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities;

7 p. 18-1 of the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities;

8 p. 18-2 of the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities;

9 sub. 3 p. 82 of the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities;

10 sub. 4 p. 82 of the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities;

11 sub. 6 p. 82 of the Rules for the Centralized Purchase and Sale of Electricity by a Single Buyer, produced by renewable energy facilities and waste-to-energy facilities;

12 Chapter 3 of the Rules for the Certification of Electric Capacity of Generating Units;

13 sub. 12 p. 2 of the Rules for the Technical Operation of Power Plants and Networks.