Kazakhstan selects Rosatom for first nuclear power plant

Monday, 16 June 2025

The Atomic Energy Agency of Kazakhstan held negotiations with leading global manufacturers and had drawn up a shortlist of potential suppliers: Rosatom with its VVER-1200 reactors, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) with its HPR-1000, France's EDF with its EPR1200 and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) with its APR-1000/APR-1400.

In a statement announcing the result, the agency said: "The listed companies submitted a comprehensive package of materials consisting of technical and commercial proposals for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. These materials included the following information: estimated construction cost; project implementation deadlines; financing models; methods of localisation of equipment and construction works; recommendations for the development of personnel training and scientific and educational potential; opportunities for integration in the nuclear fuel cycle; and issues of social obligations."

The assessment was carried out based on methodology developed by the Atomic Energy Agency, Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP and French engineering company Assystem. It looked at the areas highlighted in the statement's list of materials submitted as well assessing nuclear power plant safety and international experience. The analysis was then submitted to the Interdepartmental Commission on the Development of the Atomic Industry.

"It was determined that the most optimal and effective proposals for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan came from the Russian company Rosatom," with second place taken by CNNC and third place by EDF and KHNP, the agency statement said. "Thus, Rosatom was identified as the leader of the international consortium for the project to build the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan."

Discussions are now taking place on state export funding from the Russian Federation based on the proposals submitted by Rosatom.

In a statement issued by Rosatom, its Director General Alexei Likhachev said: "We welcome Kazakhstan's decision to begin implementing the nuclear power plant construction project. VVER-1200 generation 3+ reactors combine time-tested engineering solutions with the latest active and passive protection systems developed in strict compliance with international safety standards. VVER-1200 reactors are already operating in Russia and abroad - four units in Russia and two units in Belarus and this technology has also been chosen by our partners in Hungary, Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh and China. There is still a lot of work ahead, and we sincerely count on the help and support of the leadership of Russia and Kazakhstan."

China, and a second plant

In its statement the Atomic Energy Agency for Kazakhstan said it would "continue to work with foreign partners to form an effective international consortium to build the country's first nuclear power plant".

And in a separate statement it quoted agency chairman Almasadam Satkaliyev as saying "all prequalified participants included in the shortlist have their own unique technologies".

He added: "It is planned to sign a separate agreement with the People's Republic of China on cooperation in the nuclear sector. We want to use Chinese technologies to build another nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan ... in general, there are not many countries in the world that can implement a full nuclear cycle on their own. And China is a country that has such an opportunity, has all the necessary technologies and an industrial and production base. Therefore, our next main priority is cooperation with China."

"We have agreements at the highest level. We are interested in adopting Chinese experience, we understand well that they can carry out construction quickly and qualitatively. We have already started work in this direction."

Background

Kazakhstan is the world's leading producer of uranium. Although it does not currently use nuclear energy, it is not without nuclear experience: it has three operating research reactors, and a Russian-designed BN-350 sodium-cooled fast reactor operated near Aktau for 26 years, until 1999.

Kazakhstan has been preparing for a possible nuclear power programme to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, diversify its energy mix and reduce CO2 emissions for some time. Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), a subsidiary of Kazakhstan's Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund JSC, was set up in 2014. As well as being designated as the owner/operator of a future plant, KNPP has been tasked with pre-project work including a feasibility study to justify the need for nuclear power - carried out in 2018 - and locating a site.

In a referendum last year more than 70% of the 7.8 million people who voted answered 'yes' to the question: "Do you agree with the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan?"

As well as the proposed first nuclear power plant - the Zhambyl district of Almaty region has been selected as the preferred location - there are also options for using small modular reactors to replace retiring coal plants in the years to come and the second large plant is being considered with the government's target being for nuclear to produce a 5% share of the national generation mix by 2035.