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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has ordered an acceleration of the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant and initiated the search for a site for a second facility. He made the announcement on January 28 during an expanded government meeting, Kursiv.kz reported.
«Amid the growing energy deficit, we must expedite the construction of the first nuclear power plant and, more broadly, begin forming a nuclear cluster in the country. This is a crucial task for ensuring our nation's progress,» Tokayev said, instructing the government and the Samruk-Kazyna fund to develop a long-term nuclear energy strategy.
«Based on a comprehensive analysis, we must determine the most suitable locations for future nuclear power plants and select modern, safe technologies. I expect proposals from the government and parliament regarding the site for the second plant. Once again, I emphasize: our country needs nuclear energy; without it, Kazakhstan's sustainable development will be in question,» the president stated.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, in turn, pledged to finalize agreements on the construction of the first nuclear power plant in the Almaty region in the near future. «The analysis to determine sites for the second and third nuclear power plants is also nearing completion,» he added.
Last fall, Kazakhstan held a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant, with 71.12% of voters supporting the initiative. The facility is planned to be built in the village of Ulken, on the shores of Lake Balkhash in the Almaty region.
While an international consortium is expected to undertake the construction, its composition remains unclear. A shortlist of potential technology suppliers includes four companies: China's CNNC, South Korea's KHNP, Russia’s Rosatom, and France’s EDF. A final decision on consortium participants is anticipated in the first half of 2025.
