AlES JSC: monitoring system was inspected by mass media

The attention of the public, mass media and city authorities to environmental issues continues unabated. Large industrial facilities are traditionally in the zone of increased attention. One of them JSC AlES was visited on 29 October by a group of journalists and representatives of the Department of Ecology in Almaty, by its head – Daniyar Alimseitov.

The participants of the information tour visited Almaty CHPP-1 named after B.Orazbayev and the Western Heat Complex. It is at these two facilities of AlES JSC that automated monitoring systems (AMS) and control of emissions into the atmospheric air are installed.

The representative delegation, which included journalists from such media as Almaty.tv, “Vecherniy Almaty” and “Almaty Akshamy” newspapers, met with station managers and specialists. They also inspected block-containers with installed equipment, pipes, on which sensors are placed, West Heating Complex panel room, where information from sensors is collected, met with ecologists of the stations.

As explained by the specialists of JSC AlES, at present the AMS systems of CHPP-1 and WHC are in test mode. The data transmission channel is being adjusted and integration with the database of the Ministry of Ecology is underway. Aibek Shayakhmetov, Head of Technical Maintenance Department, gave a tour of CHPP-1. He explained that the measuring section is located at +42.5 metres, and the height of the chimneys themselves is 80 metres. To date, the AMS is working in test mode, and data from CHPP-1 are transmitted to the head office of AlES.

Vladimir Sosnitsky, Head of the Technical Maintenance Department, familiarized the tour participants with the air monitoring system at the WHC. He said that the equipment was installed in 2023-2024, and at the end of the heating season this year, a test run of the system was carried out. The information from the sensors has already started to flow to the automatic workplaces organized at the WHC. At present, personnel are being trained to carry out maintenance and trouble-free operation of the AMS.

Following the visit to the stations, comments were given to journalists by Daniyar Alimseitov, Head of the Department of Ecology of Almaty. He noted the importance for the city of the work carried out in JSC AlES on the installation of automated monitoring and control systems for emissions into the atmospheric air. He emphasised that the first seven sensors installed on pipes of two stations, modern and accurate, were produced in Germany. The information transmitted by them will allow to monitor the level and type of emissions by industrial facilities of JSC AlES, to specify their volumes, to determine whether there is no exceeding of permissible single or average daily concentration norms. He reminded that for each type of emissions, environmental legislation establishes norms.

– At the moment, while the system is operating in test mode, the networks between AlES and “National Information Technologies” JSC, which is the Operator of the information and communication infrastructure of the “Electronic Government”, are being adjusted. The specialists of “NIT” JSC should accept the work, test the system, and as soon as they give the go-ahead, the information from the sensors will go to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources”, he said. – Accordingly, decisions will also be taken based on the results of monitoring. In particular, on fines, in case the company exceeds the permissible norms of maximum permissible concentration (MPC).

It should be reminded that fines are proportional to the volume of MPC exceedance, and preliminary warning is not provided in this part of environmental law violations.

As for expectations, AlES JSC associates with the launch of the monitoring system the expectations of further development of a systematic, integrated approach to the realization of the tasks of increasing environmental efficiency. Here they believe that the launch of AMS will contribute to the improvement of the company’s image, will make it more attractive for employees and will contribute to the reduction of social tension.