(Yicai) April 2 -- China Energy Engineering Corporation has secured a contract worth around KZT651.2 billion (USD1.3 billion) to build a pipeline that will supply clean water to residents of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

State-owned water distributor Astana Capital Water Supply has appointed China Gezhouba Group, a subsidiary of CEEC, as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the project, the Beijing-based infrastructure developer announced yesterday. Gezhouba's contract covers the design, equipment procurement, construction, and commissioning of facilities within a 36-month timeframe.

The strategic initiative aims to provide Astana with a reliable, high-quality water supply, local media reported, citing government officials. The project will feature two pipelines, each exceeding 203 kilometers in length. The endeavor is expected to alleviate Astana's long-standing water shortages, enhance living standards, and support sustainable urban development by addressing the region’s uneven distribution of water resources.

Located southeast of Astana, the project includes a water intake pump station with a daily capacity of 342,000 cubic meters, two booster pumping stations, over 400 km of pipeline, and a purification plant capable of treating 210,000 cubic meters of water per day.

Specifically, Gezhouba will construct a pipeline connecting Astana to the Kanysh Satpayev Canal. Booster pumps will help transport raw water from the canal to the capital, where it will be purified and distributed to residents, as well as industrial and commercial users.

Gezhouba is well known for its work on China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project, one of the world’s largest water transfer initiatives, which channels water from the Yangtze River basin to arid northern regions, including Beijing, over 1,000 km away.

Despite the new source of income, the contract failed to boost CEEC’s stock price [SHA: 601868] as the shares ended the day flat at CNY2.29 (US 30 cents) in Shanghai today.

Editor: Emmi Laine