The primary objective is to ensure that business enterprises and households in southern Kazakhstan have access to a reliable, cost effective and high quality supply of electricity.
The entire North-South project includes the construction of 1,115 km of overhead 500 kV, single circuit alternate current (AC) line and upgrades of four high voltage air-insulated substations (1150/500 kV Ekibastuz, 500 kV Agadyr, 500 kV YukGRES and 500 kV Shu). The project is to be carried out in three phases: Phase I (YukGRESS-Shu, 250 km); Phase II (Ekibastuz-Agadyr, 475 km); and Phase III (Agadyr-YukGRES, 390 km).
The North-South Electricity Transmission Project - Phase II (the subject project) involves construction of 475 km of overhead lines between Ekibastuz and Agadyr substations and modernization of 500 kV outdoor switchgear at both substations.
The specific components of the project include: (i) Construction of a 500 kV overhead transmission line from Ekibastuz to Agadyr, including a Fiber Optic Communication Line; (ii) Modernization of the Ekibastuz substation through substation automation and protective relaying (SAPR); (iii) Modernization of the Agadyr substation through SAPR and Power Line Carrier; (iv) Technical assistance for project management for the construction of the transmission line and completion of transmission sector reforms (establishment of a real-time electricity balancing market and adoption of zonal transmission tariffs)
