TotalEnergies signs PPA for 1GW Mirny wind project in Kazakhstan

TotalEnergies, a French energy company, has reaffirmed its commitment to the energy transition in Kazakhstan by signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the 1 GW Mirny wind project.

This milestone marks the country’s first PPA for a wind project of such scale. The ambitious project, located in the Zhambyl region, aims to establish the onshore wind farm coupled with a 600MWh battery energy storage system to ensure a reliable power supply.

With an investment of approximately $1.4 billion, it demonstrates TotalEnergies’ ability to accelerate renewable energy development in oil and gas countries.

The Mirny wind project will exclusively sell its generated electricity to the Financial Settlement Center of Renewable Energy, a government-owned entity responsible for supplying the national grid in Kazakhstan. This initiative will provide electricity to approximately one million people, contributing to the nation’s energy needs.

The agreement, signed in Astana, involved Total Eren, an affiliate of TotalEnergies, and the Financial Settlement Center.

Almassadam Satkaliyev — Republic of Kazakhstan Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said: “This project will contribute to the transition of Kazakhstan to the green energy and will be a breakthrough in strengthening French-Kazakh investment cooperation.”

TotalEnergies will develop the Mirny wind project in collaboration with the National Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna and the National Company KazMunayGas, both of which will hold a 20% stake in the venture.

With around 200 turbines, the Mirny wind farm represents the largest wind energy initiative undertaken in Kazakhstan to date. Endorsed by the Kazakh and French authorities, it aligns with the Kazakh Government’s goal of achieving 15% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030. This endeavor will help prevent the emission of approximately 3.5 million tons of CO2 annually throughout the duration of the PPA.

Patrick Pouyanné — TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO said: “As a global energy leader, TotalEnergies is proud to drive the energy transition in Kazakhstan through such an innovative project as Mirny. This wind and battery project will contribute to the supply and security of the Kazakh power grid.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Kazakh authorities for their support and collaboration throughout this process. This represents a significant milestone in TotalEnergies’ multi-energy strategy. TotalEnergies will bring its expertise in managing large-scale projects to make it a success.”

Total Eren has a proven track record of renewable energy developments in Kazakhstan. Notably, the company successfully implemented two solar photovoltaic farms, M-KAT and Nomad, with a combined capacity of 128MWp in 2019. Located in the Zhambyl and Kyzylorda regions, these solar farms have played a pivotal role in diversifying Kazakhstan’s energy mix and reducing carbon emissions.