Minister of Industry and Construction Yersaiyn Nagaspayev reported at a Government meeting that the high level of wear and tear on engineering networks remains one of the main problems in preparing for and during the heating season.
According to the MIA "Kazinform", the minister stated that due to outdated systems, accidents and technological disruptions in heat supply, water supply, and wastewater disposal are recorded annually.
"During the past heating season, 53 technological disruptions were recorded in heat supply systems and 264 technological disruptions in water supply and wastewater networks," Nagaspayev reported.
The problems were most acute in Astana, the Abai region, as well as in the Akmola, East Kazakhstan, and Karaganda regions.
According to the ministry, the total length of heat supply, water supply, and wastewater networks in the country is about 137,000 km, with an average wear rate of 49%. More than 67,000 km of engineering networks require replacement. Utilities are particularly worn out in the Pavlodar, Karaganda, East Kazakhstan, North Kazakhstan regions, as well as in the Abai and Ulytau regions.
In 2025, 176 billion tenge has been allocated from the republican budget for the construction and reconstruction of water supply facilities. As part of the action plan to implement the President's election programme, the wear rate is planned to be reduced to 40% by 2030.
In turn, Vice Minister of Energy Sungat Yessimkhanov warned heads of energy enterprises that liability for missing repair deadlines is set at 50 MCI (196,600 tenge), and for insufficient fuel reserves in winter - from 100 MCI (393,200 tenge) to 2,000 MCI (7.8 million tenge).
According to him, amendments have been made to the Administrative Code. Now, liability for violating the requirements of regulatory legal acts (RLAs) rests with the official, not the company. Additionally, fines have been increased for the lack of a readiness certificate and for damage to power grids.
"Under the new law 'On Heat Power Engineering', state energy control is carried out outside the requirements of the Entrepreneurial Code. As a result of 472 inspections conducted last year, fines totalling 168 million tenge were imposed," added Yessimkhanov.
Control over the condition of heating networks and boiler houses is now carried out by the Energy Supervision Committee. Industrial energy control has also been introduced at energy facilities. The appointment of top managers, chief engineers, and those responsible for labour protection is now only possible after a qualification test on knowledge of technical operation and safety.