We need to quickly make up our minds about nuclear power station: Shukeyev

Kazakhstan needs to quickly make up its mind about construction of the nuclear power station, Tengrinews.kz reports citing chairman of Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund Umirzak Shukeyev as saying at the meeting with the journalists. "I cannot say for sure that the issue of construction of the nuclear power station will be resolved this year, but I know that the issue is on the agenda. We have to make up our minds as soon as possible," Umirzak Shukeyev said. He noted that that was an important issue and had to be discussed at the government level. "We are producing nuclear fuel, we have huge reserves of uranium and you know that these are our advantages. I think it is nonsense to have the fuel and the raw materials and not have the nuclear station. That's why we have to keep on working on construction of the nuclear power station," he explained. Shukeyev noted that selection of the design and model of the nuclear power station had to be done very carefully and safety had to be made a priority. "No matter if it is in Balkhash or in Mangistau, there should be additional surveys made and people have to be polled in those regions," Umirzak Shukeyev said. Construction of the nuclear power station was discussed at the meeting of Kazakhstan government on March 13. First Vice-PM Serik Akhmetov said that the issue of construction of the nuclear station has to be resolved this year. By Aidana Ussupova