Kazakhstan Seeks to Build Strategic AI Infrastructure
Kazakhstan is seeking to use its energy resources and geographic position between major markets to strengthen its role in the global digital economy as data centers, advanced semiconductors and artificial intelligence infrastructure become increasingly strategic.
A key element of this effort is the Data Center Valley in Ekibastuz, Pavlodar Region. The project is planned to develop in stages into a large-scale computing center with total capacity of up to one gigawatt. Officials say it is intended to support AI development, attract international technology companies and create a new export-oriented segment of Kazakhstan’s digital economy.
KT-Telecom, a subsidiary of Kazakhtelecom, will operate the project. It has been backed by a planned $10 billion investment from U.S.-based AI cloud and infrastructure company Firebird and Nvidia. The investment is expected to support a computing cluster equipped with 100,000 advanced GPUs, including Nvidia’s GB300 and Vera Rubin systems.
Project estimates indicate that the cluster could generate at least $3 billion in annual export revenue, while also creating highly skilled jobs and attracting international technology companies.
Construction is already underway on the first 50-megawatt facility. Excavation for the energy center and AI factory is nearing completion, while foundation work and administrative facilities are being developed. The main data-center buildings and power units are scheduled for completion by the end of December, with commissioning planned for May 2027 and operations expected to begin in June.
The project forms part of a broader effort to strengthen Kazakhstan’s digital infrastructure and reduce its reliance on foreign digital services. Other initiatives include additional data-center projects and the Trans-Caspian fiber-optic cable linking Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Together, these projects are intended to strengthen the country’s position along emerging digital, transport and energy corridors.
However, the planned expansion comes as Kazakhstan’s electricity system operates with a relatively narrow balance between supply and demand. According to national grid operator KEGOC, electricity consumption increased 3.8% to 124.6 billion kilowatt-hours in 2025, while generation rose 4.4% to 123.1 billion kilowatt-hours.
Kazakhstan’s power system currently includes 254 generating facilities with a combined installed capacity of 27.1 gigawatts, about half of which are coal-fired. The government plans to commission 13.3 GW of additional capacity by the end of 2029, including 12.56 GW of new generation.
Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov has said Kazakhstan should be able to fully meet domestic electricity demand from the beginning of 2027 and establish a stable surplus by 2029. The first Ekibastuz facility is scheduled to begin operations in June 2027, while reaching the planned one-gigawatt capacity would require further generating capacity, substations, transmission infrastructure and reliable water supplies.
The scale of the project also raises broader questions about infrastructure financing, the potential impact of rising data-center electricity demand on households and other industries, and the sustainability of facilities operating in a power system that remains heavily dependent on coal.
The development of the Data Center Valley will therefore be closely linked to Kazakhstan’s ability to expand its energy and digital infrastructure while attracting international demand and maintaining greater control over the technologies operating within the country.
