The first group of wind turbines for the Chinese-built Zhanatas 100 megawatt Wind Power Project in Kazakhstan was successfully connected to the national grid on Sept 26.
Officially launched in 2018, the project is the largest capacity wind farm currently under construction in Central Asia.
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The construction site of the Zhanatas wind farm in Kazakhstan. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
Once finished, it will be a 100 MW wind farm located on the outskirts of the town of Zhanatas, in the Zhambyl region in southwestern Kazakhstan -- about 682 kilometers from Alma-Ata, the largest city in the country.
The local area enjoys good wind energy resources and can generate 3,500 hours of wind power per year.
The builder POWERCHINA Chengdu Engineering is responsible for the EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) work. Twenty wind turbines in the first phase of the project were installed in 2019.
But construction was then hit at the start of 2020 by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
POWERCHINA worked with all parties involved in the project to send workers with valid visas back to the Kazakhstan construction site just before the closure of commercial flights.
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The first batch of wind turbines are now connected to the national grid and are generating power. [Photo/POWERCHINA] |
There have been zero COVID-19 cases suspected or confirmed in the project, thanks to careful prevent and control efforts.
In addition to their focus on the construction, the project team had also played an active role in organizing social welfare activities, in order to help locals.
During the suspension of flight operations to Kazakhstan, the project department continued to actively organize the wind turbine hoisting and installation, putting together special plans for winter construction.
