Russia's Rosatom has been selected as the leader of an international consortium to build Kazakhstan's first planned nuclear power plant - with China being lined up to build a second one.

Kazakhstan's national atomic company Kazatomprom has secured a credit facility for the construction of a new 800,000 tonnes per year sulphuric acid plant in Taikonur, in the Turkestan region.

A seven-year agreement to supply natural uranium concentrate for the Czech Republic's ČEZ is described by Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom as "a significant expansion of its presence in Europe".

Kazakhstan has officially shortlisted four reactor vendors for the country's first nuclear power plant following a "competitive dialogue process with potential technology suppliers".

Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom says it has created a technology for processing liquid radioactive sodium coolant which will allow decommissioning of fast neutron reactors.

The head of Kazakhstan's national nuclear company has briefed the country's president on its long-term "value over volume" approach with the focus firmly on its core uranium business - but expects 2025 production from its Inkai project to be down on previous expectations following a temporary suspension in January. 

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has appointed Almassadam Satkaliyev to head the new state body which will take over various functions and powers from Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power has signed two agreements to collaborate with Kazakhstan on the utilisation of uranium resources dissolved in seawater and groundwater.

The Zhambyl district of Almaty region has been selected by the Kazakhstan government as the location for its proposed nuclear power plant, with ministers saying the aim is to select a technology supplier this year.