ASTANA: Kazakhstan has announced that Russia’s Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) will head separate consortiums to construct the country’s first-ever nuclear power plants, the newly formed Kazakh atomic energy agency confirmed on Saturday.
The Central Asian nation, rich in oil and gas and one of the world’s largest uranium producers, has lacked nuclear power capacity since the decommissioning of its BN-350 reactor in 1999, located near the Caspian Sea.
Despite its uranium reserves, Kazakhstan relies heavily on coal-fired power plants, with hydroelectric and renewable energy sources making up a smaller share of its energy mix.
Following a referendum in October, supported by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the country committed to developing 2.4 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2035.
In a statement, the atomic agency described Rosatom’s proposal as “the most optimal and advantageous” and revealed that steps are already being taken to secure export financing from Russia.
Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev welcomed the decision, stating that the facility would use VVER-1200 Generation 3+ reactors, a Russian nuclear technology already in use both domestically and internationally. The two-reactor facility is slated to be built in the village of Ulken, approximately 400 km northwest of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s commercial capital.
Meanwhile, Kazakh atomic energy agency chairman Almasadam Satqaliev confirmed plans to sign a separate agreement with China’s CNNC for the construction of a second nuclear plant.
“China is undoubtedly one of the countries with the full spectrum of nuclear technologies and industrial capacity,” Satqaliev said, calling China a priority partner in the country’s nuclear ambitions.
CNNC has yet to issue an official response to the announcement.
While the composition of the full consortiums, along with the projected cost and construction timelines, remains unclear, French and South Korean firms had also submitted competing bids to Kazakhstan.
The initiative reflects Kazakhstan’s broader strategy to deepen energy cooperation with both Russia and China. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the country last November to discuss expanded industrial and energy ties.
On the Chinese front, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) reached an agreement in February with Kazakhstan’s national gas company to increase gas imports for 2024–2025. CNPC also signed a crude oil deal with Tengizchevroil, the consortium operating Kazakhstan’s largest oil field.
