Kazakhstan is taking concrete steps toward the development of its first nuclear power plant, with the country now in the pre-project phase, according to Rinat Okasov, Deputy Director General of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP (KAEŞ).
Okasov said that preparatory work is progressing rapidly and lays the foundation for the full-scale development of the project. In March, Kazakhstan established a dedicated Atomic Energy Agency, which now oversees the company’s operations.
As a key milestone, authorities have selected the Zhambyl district of Almaty region as the broader location for the plant. The next step is to identify a specific site within the region. To support this, Kazakhstan has invited experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assist in the selection process.
“We’ve asked IAEA specialists to visit and share their insights on how to select a safe site and assess all relevant factors — human, natural, technological, and others,” Okasov said.
Previously considered locations included Kurchatov city and the village of Ülken, but the focus has now shifted to conducting in-depth engineering and environmental studies in the Zhambyl district.
“We’ve taken initial steps to identify a potential site, but now we need deeper studies — seismic analysis, meteorological data, water, soil, air conditions, and other factors that could impact safety,” he explained.
Kazakhstan emphasizes the importance of international knowledge exchange in developing its nuclear sector. “About 35 countries are successfully developing nuclear energy. Any experience is valuable. As we build our nuclear cluster, we must learn from the successes and mistakes of others,” said Okasov, noting Kazakhstan is engaging with countries like Armenia and Belarus.
His comments came on the sidelines of a five-day IAEA seminar in Astana, focused on site safety for nuclear installations. The seminar is organized by KAEŞ with support from the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency.
Read next
08:15
China and Kazakhstan
China and Kazakhstan on Monday (16 June) signed 24 intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements aimed at expanding cooperation across a broad range of sectors, setting the stage for closer bilateral ties ahead of the 2nd Central Asia–China Summit in Astana.
08:07
Historic First at MI6
In Monday's news hour programme, our Guy Shone talked about Britain's new spy chief of Mi6, the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, Blaise Metreweli, and about China's President Xi Jinping making a pivotal trip to Kazakhstan to attend the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana.
10:30
Kazakhstan has emerged as Azerbaijan’s top grain supplier, as trade between the two countries surged 20% in early 2025, reaching historic highs.
09:30
China-Central Asia summit
The second China-Central Asia Summit commenced today (16 June) in Kazakhstan’s capital, marking a pivotal moment in deepening political and economic ties between China and the five Central Asian states: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
14:23
The Air Astana Group informs passengers of changes to certain scheduled and charter flight routes due to the closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace, the airline said in a statement.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment