Rosatom Takes Lead in Constructing Kazakhstans Groundbreaking Nuclear Power Plant

Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, will spearhead the construction of Kazakhstan’s inaugural nuclear power plant, according to officials from the Central Asian nation on Saturday.

«Rosatom has been designated as the head of the international consortium responsible for building Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power facility,» stated Kazakhstan’s nuclear energy authority.

Kazakhstan, a vast and resource-rich nation in Central Asia, is the leading producer of uranium worldwide, accounting for 43% of global supply. However, it currently struggles to generate enough electricity to satisfy its own consumption requirements.

The new facility, which received construction approval via a referendum in late 2024, will be located near the sparsely populated village of Ulken, close to Balkhash Lake, the second largest lake in the country situated in the southeast.

China’s National Nuclear Corporation, EDF from France, and Hydro and Nuclear Power from South Korea had all submitted bids for the project.

In their announcement on Saturday, Kazakh officials indicated that these three companies would be part of the consortium led by Rosatom, but did not disclose specific details.

Analysts suggest that the formation of the consortium is a strategy for the authorities to foster positive relations with all participating countries. However, it is thought that Rosatom is likely to end up managing the project independently.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has aimed to uphold cordial ties with both Russia and China.

Rosatom has offered to finance the development, and discussions to finalize the project’s details will now commence, as per the statement.

This announcement precedes the scheduled visit of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Kazakhstan for a «China-Central Asia» summit.

When Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, it operated nuclear power plants and hosted Soviet nuclear weapons, as well as being a site for Soviet nuclear testing.

Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, Kazakhstan, along with other former Soviet states like Belarus and Ukraine, renounced its nuclear arsenal.

In the subsequent years, Kazakhstan decommissioned its nuclear power facilities.