Kazakhstan is advancing energy security with a new gas pipeline to supply natural gas to more than 124,000 people in 66 settlements when completed in 2026.

The 302.4-kilometer Taldykorgan-Usharal main gas pipeline under construction in the Zhetisu region will have the capacity to deliver 385 million cubic meters of gas annually, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.

The project includes six pipeline branches and automatic gas distribution stations, and will be part of the existing Almaty-Taldykorgan main gas pipeline system, said Sanzhar Zharkeshov, chairman of QazaqGaz national company.

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said during a visit to the project site on Saturday that the pipeline would improve energy security and provide a stable gas supply for homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses in the region, adding that the government is investing heavily in infrastructure projects. 

In addition to the project, Samruk Kazyna, a state-owned wealth fund, has allocated 10.4 billion tenge ($21.8 million) for 42 gasification projects in the region, aiming to connect gas to 30 more settlements by the end of the year.