Kazakhstan’s government announced on Saturday that Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, will take the lead in constructing the country’s first nuclear power facility. Kazakhstan is the leading producer of uranium globally.
“In a recent statement, Kazakhstan’s nuclear regulatory body confirmed Rosatom’s leadership role in the international consortium responsible for building the nation’s inaugural nuclear power plant.”
As a resource-abundant nation, Kazakhstan currently dominates the global uranium market, accounting for 43% of total supply. However, it struggles to generate sufficient electricity to meet the demands of its populace.
The new facility, approved by a referendum in late 2024, will be located near the mostly deserted village of Ulken, close to Balkhash Lake—Kazakhstan’s second-largest body of water in the southeast.
Competing bids to construct this power plant were submitted by China’s National Nuclear Corporation, France’s EDF, and South Korea’s Hydro and Nuclear Power.
Kazakh officials mentioned in their announcement that these three companies will be part of the consortium under Rosatom’s leadership, although further details were not disclosed.
Analysts suggest that forming a consortium is a strategy by the Kazakh government to foster positive relations with all participating nations, but it is believed that Rosatom is likely to undertake the project independently.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has aimed to uphold amicable ties with both Russia and China.
According to the announcement, Rosatom has offered to finance the project, and discussions will commence to finalize the specifics.
This declaration arrives shortly before a planned visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Kazakhstan for a summit focused on “China-Central Asia.”
When Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, it operated nuclear power stations and hosted Soviet nuclear arms, also serving as a site for nuclear testing.
After the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, Kazakhstan, alongside other former Soviet republics like Belarus and Ukraine, relinquished its nuclear arsenal.
In the subsequent years, Kazakhstan dismantled its nuclear power installations.
