By: Nina Velasco

Energy Central | Industry Leaders Series

A New Kind of Power Engineer

In the post-Soviet landscapes of Central Asia, where coal-fired turbines and analog meters still often dominate the energy infrastructure, a new breed of engineers is emerging. Among them is Shyngys Beisabayev—a Kazakhstani electrical power systems engineer whose career has intersected with some of the most urgent questions of our time: How do you modernize legacy infrastructure? How do you expand energy access? And how do you make sustainability more feasible in places built on fossil fuel economies?

The answers he’s building lie not necessarily in massive overhauls, but in targeted innovation—digital controls, automation upgrades, and smart integration of renewable energy into fragile grids.

“Innovation doesn’t always mean building from scratch,” Beisabayev says. “Sometimes, it means making old systems smarter and safer—without breaking what still works.”

From Mines to Megawatts

Beisabayev’s experience is grounded, literally, in the industrial core of Kazakhstan. From early roles maintaining mining machinery and cranes at ArcelorMittal Temirtau to launching solar infrastructure projects in remote regions, he has spent over a decade at the intersection of heavy industry and modern energy.

After a fatal fire incident in 2012 at the Temirtau steel plant, Beisabayev contributed to a safety transformation through RFID-based remote crane operation—an innovation that eliminated the need for human operators in hazardous elevated cabins. The project not only helped prevent future tragedies but also introduced the plant to digital control systems for the first time.
That experience, where human safety met engineering design, shaped his philosophy: technology must serve both people and practicality.

Scaling Solar Where the Grid Doesn’t Reach

In 2020, Beisabayev transitioned into Kazakhstan’s growing renewable energy sector, taking a key role at Hevel Kazakhstan, the country’s largest solar power operator. There, he worked as a dispatcher at a 100MW solar station before rising to become station director.

His mission was not just to keep panels running—it was to modernize operations. From real-time monitoring to digital switching protocols, Beisabayev implemented smarter grid logic to enhance reliability, minimize outages, and optimize energy flow in an environment where power interruptions are common.
“You can’t manage solar like fossil energy,” he explains. “It’s dynamic. You need predictive tools, responsive automation, and people trained for that flexibility.”

Engineering for the Real World

What distinguishes Beisabayev from many energy professionals is his holistic, ground-level perspective. His career has evolved across mining, steel, utility-scale renewables, and smart systems—not from a boardroom, but from control rooms and substation floors.

He holds certifications in uninterruptible power systems, relay protection terminals, and cable diagnostics from leading providers like Schneider Electric and Raychem. His practical expertise is complemented by a forward-looking business vision—one centered on energy equity, grid resilience, and modular sustainability.

A Model for Emerging Economies

As developing nations confront the dual challenge of growing energy demand and aging infrastructure, Beisabayev’s career provides a compelling case study. His work suggests that sustainable energy solutions don’t have to be futuristic—they just have to be smart, scalable, and human-centered.

He isn’t chasing the energy transition as a trend. He’s building it as a system—one retrofit, one control panel, one solar watt at a time.

 

Published by Jeremy S.