Русский
Russia’s Rosatom, which leads an international consortium to build a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, expects to expand its collaboration with the country in nuclear technologies, particularly fuel-related, according to Alexei Likhachev, the Rosatom CEO.
Likhachev said “In cooperation with our Kazakh colleagues, we are currently selecting other countries that will also provide their best products and best offers for the competition in order to complete this international project for the Balkhash station.”
He also mentioned the existing cooperation in the field of nuclear fuel. “We are involved in Kazakhstan’s nuclear fuel projects, and we are investing in technologies related to the nuclear fuel cycle. As part of the construction of the station, this mutual enrichment and localization of nuclear technologies will be expanded in Kazakhstan.”
According to Likhachev, work on the site began last year. “We are already conducting extensive annual monitoring of seismic activity, water levels, and weather patterns. By the end of this year and the beginning of next year, we will have a report on all the characteristics of the site, on the basis of which a project will be developed to address all the challenges, from seismic and weather-related challenges to challenges related to the local water formula, soil, and so on.”
Kazakhstan’s first NPP will take 11 years to build and could be completed in 2035-2036. The plant will operate with third-generation VVER-1200 power units.
Rosatom was chosen to lead a consortium to build the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, with the Kazakh Nuclear Energy Agency choosing them ahead of other potential vendors, including China National Nuclear Corporation, which ranked second; France’s Electricite de France; and Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, which both ranked third. China’s National Nuclear Corporation would be a likely consortium partner for Rosatom, as both France and South Korea are politically unlikely to want to involve themselves in cooperation with any Russian investor, in addition to the sanctions issues. Moscow will regard that as their loss.
In addition to the NPP, a Russian state export loan is also being negotiated. The NPP’s estimated cost ranges from US$10 billion to US$12 billion. According to the Kazakh Energy Ministry, the average cost of one reactor is $5 billion.
In December 2024, the Kazakh government chose the Zhambyl district of the Almaty region as the venue for the nuclear power plant. Kurchatov in the Abai region is being considered as the venue for the second nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, but no final decision has yet been made.
