Russia and Kazakhstan to sign agreement to construct nuclear power plant

Russia and Kazakhstan are expected to sign an agreement to construct a nuclear power plant in Kurchatov, Kazakhstan, Newskaz.ru reports, citing Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying.

Earlier RosAtom reported that the two nations were drafting an intergovernmental agreement to construct the first ever nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.

“The agreement is being prepared to be initialed and is expected to be submitted for signing shortly”, Mr. Lavrov said at the talks with his Kazakh counterpart Yerlan Idrissov.

May 29 RosAtom and KazAtomProm signed an MoU on cooperation to construct a nuclear power plant relying on Russia-made pressurized-water reactors capable of 300-1200 megawatt. The first block of the nuclear power plant is expected to be launched in 2016.

Earlier the country’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev commissioned the Government to decide before the end of the Q1 2014 on the location, sources of investments and timing of constructing a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.

In his Address to the Nation at the start of the year, President Nursultan Nazarbayev elaborated why Kazakhstan needs to construct a nuclear power plant.

He emphasized that the future lies with nuclear power. “To use natural gas is a waste of resources. Instead, the gas could be used to produce high value added products. Kazakhstan is a global supplier of uranium (…) we do have all the capabilities [to develop the nuclear power industry]. Nuclear power is a clean energy we should take advantage of”, Nazarbayev said at the time.

“There may be more than one nuclear power plants (…) Their construction is not going to be cheap. Despite potential hazards, more than half of power generated in West Europe comes from nuclear power plants; Japan is not halting its nuclear power industry, either”.

Tengrinews.kz reported earlier, citing KazAtomProm’s Press Service, that Kazakhstan retains its title of the uranium production leader as it supplies about 37% of uranium to global markets. The global market’s capacity is estimated at 55 700 tons. The uranium production output in Kazakhstan made up 20 900 tons in 2012. In 2011 the country’s share in global uranium supplies stood at 35%.