Kazakhstan continues to prepare for the upcoming autumn-winter period. From May 1 to August 17, 2026, 19 million tons of coal were transported by rail across the country, which corresponds to the figure for the same period last year, Kursiv.kz reported.
Of the total volume, 17.8 million tons were aimed at supplying thermal power plants, another 1.2 million tons - for the public utility sector.
The regions of the country have already accumulated the necessary reserves of solid fuel. Thermal power plants have accumulated 4.1 million tons of coal, and the municipal sector has accumulated more than 300 thousand tons.
To prevent supply disruptions during peak periods, coal transportation is monitored around the clock. A special operational headquarters monitors the shipment of fuel from coal mines, coordinates the supply of wagons and plans freight flows along the railway network.
To speed up delivery, route and hub shipments are formed together with shippers. Transportation is carried out, in particular, by Kaztemirtrans JSC, which has a fleet of 29 thousand gondola cars. According to the department, this rolling stock is sufficient to meet the needs of thermal power plants, the public sector and industrial enterprises.
Maintaining coal transportation volumes at last year's level and building up reserves in advance reduces the risk of interruptions in heat supply in the winter. For Kazakhstan, where coal remains one of the main fuels for electricity and heat supply, the reliability of railway logistics is of strategic importance.
Particularly important is constant monitoring of supplies during peak periods. Even with sufficient supplies, transportation disruptions can lead to local shortages. Therefore, pre-formed reserves, combined with a reserve of wagons and operational management of cargo flows, make it possible to increase the stability of the country’s energy system during the cold season.
CentralAsianLIGHT.org
August 19, 2026