Kazakhstan is expanding its energy dialogue with Slovakia. In Bratislava, the two sides discussed potential joint projects with Slovenské elektrárne, the country’s largest electricity producer, DKNews.kz reports.
Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Slovakia, Zhanna Saginova, met with Branislav Strýček, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Slovenské elektrárne. The parties reviewed prospects for further development of Kazakh-Slovak cooperation in the energy sector and opportunities to implement joint projects.
Talks involve Slovakia’s largest electricity producer
The scale of the potential partner gives the meeting additional significance. Slovenské elektrárne is Slovakia’s largest electricity producer, with a total installed generating capacity of 4,129 MW. Its portfolio includes nuclear, hydroelectric and solar power plants.
The company operates 31 hydroelectric power plants, two nuclear power plants and two solar power plants. Following the phase-out of coal-fired generation, Slovenské elektrárne has stated that its electricity generation is produced without direct CO₂ emissions.
This profile makes the talks particularly relevant for Kazakhstan. The discussion is not with a supplier focused on a single type of equipment, but with an operator that has experience across several segments of the power system.
Specific projects have not yet been disclosed
At the same time, the parties have not announced potential project sites, investment volumes or timelines for future cooperation.
The statement following the meeting only says that the sides considered opportunities for implementing joint projects. It would therefore be premature to speak of a finalized investment agreement or a confirmed construction project.
The technological focus of any potential project has also not been specified. It could involve nuclear energy, hydropower, renewable energy or another segment of the energy sector.
This distinction matters: Slovenské elektrárne has expertise in several areas, but the current meeting signals an interest in cooperation rather than the launch of an approved project.
Nuclear energy has already featured in bilateral talks
Energy cooperation between Astana and Bratislava is not a new topic.
Kazakhstan and Slovakia have previously discussed cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as well as potential interaction in nuclear energy taking into account Slovakia’s experience. Energy has also been identified as one of the priority areas of Kazakh-Slovak business dialogue.
Nuclear generation is a major component of Slovakia’s power system. Slovenské elektrárne operates nuclear power plants at Bohunice and Mochovce, along with a substantial hydropower portfolio.
This creates a potential basis for exchanging industry expertise, although the specific format of possible cooperation with Kazakhstan has not yet been made public.
Energy is becoming a consistent area of partnership
Contacts with Slovenské elektrárne fit into the broader economic agenda between the two countries.
Energy has previously been identified in Kazakh-Slovak dialogue alongside industry, logistics, digitalization, critical raw materials and other sectors as a promising area for cooperation.
The latest talks were held directly with the head of Slovakia’s largest energy company. The next sign of practical progress would be the emergence of specific parameters: the technology involved, project location, investment volume or the participation model of the two sides.
DKNews.kz previously reported on the prospects for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Slovakia, where energy and potential cooperation in the nuclear sector were also identified among the promising areas.
