Major coal producers in Kazakhstan have discussed plans with the energy ministry to increase thermal coal output in the coming years and boost coal-fired power generation in the central Asian country.
Private-sector coal companies and government representatives met on Monday for talks on how to use Kazakhstan's 33bn t of coal reserves as part of the country's national project to expand coal-fired power capacity.
New coal-fired plants will push demand past 19mn t/yr by 2032, the energy ministry said, which can only be met by producers increasing their output capacity. Thermal producer Shubarkol Komir said it will increase production to 16.1mn t this year, above the 15.7mn t it produced in 2025. Bogatyr Komir, which operates the Ekibastuz coal mine — Kazakhstan's largest — said it plans to increase production from 42.7mn t in 2024 to 45.2mn t this year, with a long-term target of 56.5mn t/yr by 2032.
Kazakh coal producers and utilities met in early February to outline plans to increase thermal coal generation capacity along with expanding production.
