Kazakhstan will not give up nuclear energy

Kazakhstan will not give up construction of nuclear stations, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev as saying at the government meeting. "Kazakhstan has not given up on nuclear energy. We have long-term plans. There still will be long discussions on the reactor type and the station, considering security of the people and use the best technologies," he said. According to the Minister, the share of nuclear energy will make around 4 percent by 2030. Issekeshev, however, did not specify the time of the facilities construction. "This year we have to make the final decision on the nuclear station," first deputy Prime-Minister Serik Akhmetov said. He noted that the experts of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade are currently working on this. Kazakhstan Government started discussing construction of the nuclear power station six months ago. "It does not contradict with our general goals and the movement to nuclear-free world," Kanat Saudabayev said answering the question of the foreign journalist on whether it is right for Kazakhstan, being the country that actively propagates nuclear-free world, to construct its own nuclear station. According to the estimates, construction of the nuclear power station in Kurchatov, East-Kazakhstan oblast, will require around $3 billion, Kazakhstan National Nuclear Center said. By Renat Tashkinbayev