"First block in 8 years": The Energy Minister commented on the reduced construction timelines for nuclear power plants.

Almasadam Satkaliev noted that all aspects related to the quality of nuclear power plant construction are under the supervision of both Kazakhstan's regulatory bodies and the international community.

"There will be a serious monitoring process from the IAEA and other organizations. There are stringent environmental and fire safety requirements, among others. In combination, we believe that the quality of construction should not be compromised despite the reduced construction timelines," he stated.

The minister added that the construction of the first nuclear power plant block is expected to take 10-12 years, provided there are no significant risks.

"However, we understand that technologies are constantly evolving, and there is experience in replicating various nuclear technologies. Even considering average global timelines, we will be addressing the possibility of accelerating these timelines with official vendors, so we can aim to complete the first block within 8 years (up to 8 years)," concluded the Minister of Energy.

Today, Minister of Energy Almasadam Satkaliev discussed the principles that will guide the selection of vendors for the construction of the nuclear power plant during a meeting.

It is worth noting that the day before, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektanov announced that Kazakhstan would be determining the region for the construction of the second nuclear power plant.

After listening to the report, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed to expedite the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan and to identify a location for the second one.

Additionally, Almasadam Satkaliev mentioned that a referendum will not be required for the construction of the second nuclear power plant.

Construction of Nuclear Power Plants in Kazakhstan

In 2019, it was announced that a nuclear power plant was planned to be built in the Almaty region. At the end of 2021, Minister of Energy Almasadam Satkaliev confirmed that the nuclear facility could be located in this particular settlement.

In November 2023, the Minister of Energy revealed when the company that will construct the nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan would be selected. By December, the estimated budget for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in the country was disclosed.

In June of this year, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that a referendum would be held in Kazakhstan to decide whether to build a nuclear power plant in the country.

The voting took place on October 6 of last year. Kazakhstanis were asked to respond to one question: "Do you agree with the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan?" To express their position, citizens needed to place a checkmark or cross next to one of the two answer options - "yes" or "no."

According to the Central Election Commission, the voter turnout was 63.87%, meaning over 7.8 million Kazakhstanis participated in the voting. The number of votes in favor of the positive decision was 71.12%, or 5,561,937 votes. The number of citizens who voted against was 2,045,271.