(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 10. Kazakhstan has signed agreements on energy cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Trend reports via the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan.

The signing took place on the sidelines of the Global Gateway forum in Brussels, where Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Yerlan Akkenzhenov held a series of strategic meetings with European Union officials and heads of European financial institutions.

The agreements aim to attract investment into regional projects, including the Kambarata Hydropower Plant-1 (HPP-1), renewable energy development, and the modernization of Kazakhstan's electricity grids.

"Our visit to Brussels confirmed the strong mutual interest in deepening energy partnerships. Kazakhstan is a reliable supplier of energy resources and is ready to become a strategic European ally in green energy, critical materials, and green hydrogen production. The agreements signed with the EIB and EBRD send a clear signal to European businesses that Kazakhstan is a promising and secure destination for long-term investments in a sustainable future,” Akkenzhenov said.

During the forum, discussions were held with European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, and European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. The parties explored opportunities to enhance cooperation in energy security and green energy development.

Akkenzhenov reaffirmed Kazakhstan's strategic goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, emphasizing a pragmatic and balanced approach to the green transition. According to him, this process must balance renewable energy development with the reliability of the national energy system, which currently relies on conventional generation.

Investment promotion was a key focus of the visit. Substantive talks were held with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso, French Development Agency (AFD) Director Cyrille Bellier, and leadership of the Italian financial group Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).

Additionally, the forum featured a“Partnership Dialogue in Central Asia” organized by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). Energy ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan participated. Akkenzhenov outlined Kazakhstan's stance on regional electricity trade, joint hydropower development, and the establishment of unified technical standards for renewable energy.

Earlier today, the EBRD announced that memoranda of understanding aimed at accelerating the preparation and launch of the Kambarata HPP-1, a 1,860-megawatt facility on the Naryn river in Kyrgyzstan, were signed between EBRD officials and the ministers of energy of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan: Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Taalaibek Ibraev, and Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, respectively.

Kambarata Hydropower Plant-1 (HPP-1) represents a significant hydroelectric infrastructure initiative currently in the development phase along the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, with aspirations to emerge as a preeminent energy generation facility within the Central Asian region. The system is engineered to produce 1,860 megawatts of electrical output and plays a pivotal role in the regional energy matrix and hydrological governance, especially in facilitating power distribution during the winter months and enhancing agronomic irrigation during the summer for the nations of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The initiative represents a collaborative synergy among Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, bolstered by strategic backing from the World Bank.

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