Kazakh president calls for more digital solutions, AI in energy sector

ASTANA. March 3 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for more digital solutions and artificial intelligence to improve energy sector efficiency, the presidential press service said.

Kazakhstan maintains stable oil production, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said at a meeting with Tokayev. The minister reported to the president on progress of key projects in the fuel and energy sector and plans for further development of the sector. Specifically, he announced plans to increase oil refining capacity: at the Shymkent Oil Refinery from 6 to 12 million tonnes per year, at the Atyrau Oil Refinery from 5.5 to 6.7 million tonnes, and at the Pavlodar Oil Chemistry Refinery from 5.5 to 9 million tonnes per year.

The head of state was also presented with plans for commissioning new energy capacity by 2029. Construction of Almaty-2 combine heat and power plant is expected to be completed in 2026, as well as power plants based on combined-cycle turbines in the Kyzylorda and Turkestan regions.

Akkenzhenov reported on the progress of the national project Coal Generation Development.

Following the meeting, the president issued a number of instructions to ensure the timely and high-quality implementation of projects in the oil and gas, petrochemical, and electric power industries, and emphasized the need to actively implement digital solutions and artificial intelligence technologies to improve the efficiency of production facilities.