Meet Gulnara Bakhtybayeva, Deputy Director of the Electric Power Industry Development Department of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Member of the Supervisory Board of National Atomic Company Kazatomprom LLP.
Probably one of my favorite quotes is by Albert Einstein – “Everything in the world is energy. Energy is at the very core of everything. If you tune into the energy frequency of the reality you want to create for yourself, you will get exactly what your frequency is tuned to. This is not a philosophy. That is physics.”
Professional background
In 1999 graduated from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University majoring in “Public administration” and the qualification of Economist-Manager.
I started my professional activity as a chief expert in the Trade and Foreign Economic Activity Department of the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In autumn 2002, as fate would have it, I transferred to the position of the Secretary to the Vice-Minister in charge of matters of electric power industry.
It was impossible not to fall in love with the electric power industry, the most demanding sector of the economy, working under the direction of Byrlyk Yesirkepovich Orazbayev, a professional in this field, an excellent electric power engineer and a man with a big heart. Since August 2008 to the present, I have been working in the Electric Power Development Department, where I have been promoted from an expert in this Department to Deputy Director.
I believe that the development and stability of the electric power sector contributes not only to the warmth and comfort of our homes, but also to the growth of all sectors of the economy.
In 2011, while working in the Department of Investments in Electric Power Industry, supervising investment projects for modernization of main assets of power generating organizations, I made the decision to pursue higher technical education. Four years later, I graduated from Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications majoring in Thermal Power Engineering. Then I have received a Master's Degree in Technical Sciences, specializing in Thermal Power Engineering.
Challenges and moment of inspiration
In the context of the crisis and direct cooperation with the market participants in the electric power energy sector, decisions should be taken on the commissioning of new facilities and renovating and modernizing the main equipment at power plants when there was a need to increase generating capacity. At the same time, it was also necessary to regulate the designated use of funds received from the annual growth of electricity tariffs, which should be used to restore the equipment of power plants.
The most interesting thing about my work during this period was that quick decisions had to be made among the male staff in the energy industry and keep up with changes in the industry.
Working in public administration requires a high level of concentration, using all your free time and a high level of stress tolerance to achieve the goals set for the industry on which the country’s growth depends.
In preparing the Forecast Balance of Electricity and Capacity in 2017, we saw that the work carried out under the “Tariff in Exchange for Investment” Programme, identified around 3,000 MW of excess electricity capacity. When electricity capacity is commissioned in the country, you will have the satisfaction with the thought of not having waste time in the office and some part of this is your merit.
Acknowledged success
Success is largely related to the quality of the performance of the assigned duties as a part of the service to the government body that regulates and sets the strategies for the energy sector. It is also an indicator of the various qualities of a professional in this sector, such as responsibility, ability to argue positions, communication skills and confidentiality. This is the opinion of colleagues on the other side of the barricade.
Also, one of the opinions of my close friend: "Sets real goals and moves purposefully in the right direction. Actively participates in the life of the team, finds solutions, helps and guides colleagues. Follows the principle "It is better to regret what you have done than to regret what you have never done”.
I consider myself very lucky to have met such mentors and life teachers as B.E. Orazbayev and K. Bozumbayev, N. Bertisbayev, Zh. Bokenbayev, and B. Dzhaksaliyev, who were directly at the origins of the electric power sector. Thanks to these teachers, I was able to develop as a person and as a professional in my work.
My work is highly appreciated by the leaders of the industry. One of the most important awards I received in 2018 was for the contribution to the electrical power industry “Electr Energetikasy Salasyna Koskan Ulesi Ushin (Электр энергетикасы саласына қосқан үлесі үшін)” medal.
Electricity has traditionally been a male-dominated profession, with more and more women taking up senior positions lately. Women are the guardians of the family hearth and a “clean” future, and who better than us to take responsibility for air quality and the environment for our children.
