High cost of electricity irks residents in Kossy town
In the Akmola region, the village of Kosshy is facing a persistent issue with expensive electricity services. According to a report by Mira AlzhANOVA, Daniar Omar, and broadcast on Almaty TV channel, residents are paying between 20,000 to 30,000 tenge per month for electricity, which is significantly higher than in neighbouring settlements.
One factor contributing to these high tariffs could be the presence of data centers such as VK Cloud in Kosshy. These facilities, with their advanced infrastructure requirements, consume high electricity volumes and may impact local electricity management and pricing due to specialized infrastructure maintenance.
Another potential reason is the increased operational and maintenance costs linked to the independent power and cooling systems required by these data centers. Moreover, the presence of multiple service companies does not necessarily guarantee competitive tariffs, especially when the region's electricity distribution involves complex operational costs, infrastructure investments, or monopolistic supply agreements.
Residents have expressed their frustration, claiming they are overpaying for electricity by two to three times compared to other private houses. LLC "Kipest" is one of the companies serving Kosshy, and residents allege they pay three times more than ARAEK consumers.
The project for Kosshy's electricity supply was developed in 2009, but delays have occurred. For instance, the contractor for the project stole the equipment, causing a delay in commissioning. Despite these challenges, the Zhelezinsky District Akimat is interested in transferring the networks to ARAEK.
Currently, the temporary electricity supply company only includes a maintenance fee in the bill, offering a temporary respite for residents. However, the tariffs for this temporary supply are the same as for ARAEK consumers, leaving many residents feeling they are still overpaying.
In an effort to address the issue, the local authorities promised to solve the problem of expensive electricity supply in May 2021. The residents of Kosshy, near the capital, hope for a resolution soon, as they continue to struggle with the high costs of essential services.
The high electricity tariffs in Kosshy's village could be attributed to the presence of data centers, given their high electricity consumption and specialized infrastructure maintenance costs. Meanwhile, the region's electricity distribution intricacies, including complex operational costs, infrastructure investments, and potentially monopolistic supply agreements, might contribute to higher tariffs as well.
