Kazakh Vice Minister of Energy Kaiyrkhan Tutkyshbayev has said that Kazakhstan’s natural gas consumption is projected to increase by 1 billion cubic meters in 2026.

The growth reflects both expanding household access to gas and rising industrial demand across the country, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

As of January 1, 2026, Kazakhstan’s gasification level reached 64.2%, with more than 13 million people out of a total population of 20.5 million now connected to natural gas supply. This marks an increase from 62.4% in 2025, when 12.6 million residents had access.

The expansion is being implemented under Kazakhstan’s General Gasification Scheme running until 2035, which aims to broaden access to natural gas, particularly in rural and underserved regions.

According to the ministry, gasification levels are highest in western Kazakhstan, Zhambyl region, and the cities of Almaty and Shymkent, where coverage exceeds 90%. In Almaty, Kyzylorda, Turkistan, Kostanay, and Zhetisu regions, gasification ranges between 60% and 90%, while Karaganda, Akmola, and Ulytau regions remain below 60%.

In 2026, the republican budget has allocated 27.3 billion tenge for the development of gas pipeline infrastructure, with plans to further raise the national gasification rate to 64.3%, providing access to piped gas for an additional 32,000 people.

Gas consumption is expected to continue its upward trend, rising from 21.6 billion cubic meters last year to a projected 22.6 billion cubic meters this year.