China will build Kazakhstan’s third nuclear power plant, First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar announced during a government briefing on July 31.
Sklyar confirmed that Chinese firms will now lead two out of three planned nuclear power projects in the country. The locations for the new plants are currently being assessed by Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency and the company Electric Nuclear Power Stations. Key factors include proximity to water sources and energy distribution regions.
Authorities are expected to announce the proposed sites by the end of the year. «There’s absolutely no secrecy here,» Sklyar assured.
China and Russia Lead Nuclear Expansion in Kazakhstan
The decision follows earlier developments in Kazakhstan’s nuclear programme. In June, Russia’s Rosatom was appointed to head the consortium for the first power plant, while China’s CNNC is already set to lead the second.
Kazakhstan entered talks with Rosatom in 2021, citing its vast uranium reserves and domestic nuclear fuel production as strategic advantages.
A national referendum on nuclear power held in October 2023 showed strong support, with around 71% voting in favour and a turnout of 63.6%.
Shortly after, Sklyar stated that Kazakhstan would form an international consortium to carry out the project, aiming to diversify suppliers and reduce dependency on a single contractor. The group will consist of up to five countries and will factor in geopolitical risks.
Before construction begins, officials expect the technical and economic assessment to take at least a year, followed by another 18 months for design and planning. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev previously confirmed interest in the nuclear programme from China, Russia and Western countries, and hinted at the possibility of additional future plants.
Kursiv also reports that Kazakhstan plans to begin construction of its nuclear power plant in two years.
