The government of Kazakhstan has chosen the Zhambyl district in the Almaty region as the site for its planned nuclear power plant. Officials aiming to finalize the choice of a technology provider by the end of this year. A decree detailing this decision, published on the Minister of Justice’s website, confirms that the government settled on the construction location on December 30, with the ruling taking effect upon its initial release.
Kazakhstan nuclear is moving forward with ambitious plan, backed by strong public support—over 71% of voters in an October referendum responded affirmatively to the question: “Are you in favor of building a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan?”
In a statement released Wednesday, the Ministry of Energy shared insights from Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev, who noted that a comprehensive national plan for the nuclear sector through 2050 is currently being shaped. He highlighted that, with the site now confirmed, the next step in 2025 involves picking a technology partner—or a consortium—for the plant’s construction, alongside securing an intergovernmental deal and necessary agreements.
Four contenders are reportedly in the running to supply the technology: China National Nuclear Corporation with its HPR-1000 design, France’s EDF offering the EPR1200, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power with the APR-1000/APR-1400 models, and russia’s Rosatom proposing the VVER-1200 reactor.
