Kazakhstan has no competitors as possible location for nuclear fuel bank

Kazakhstan has no competitors among other countries as a possible location for placement of the international nuclear fuel bank, Tengrinews.kz reports citing chairman of the nuclear energy commission of Kazakhstan Ministry of Industry and New Technologies Timur Zhantikin. “There are no competitors now. Firstly, those countries that intended to [place the bank at their territory] and were preparing their applications must have failed to submit it in time. Secondly, few countries and maybe none at all have the conditions similar to those that Kazakhstan can offer. There should be a combination of good experience and technological capacities in the nuclear sector. At the same time the country should have a good standing in non-proliferation of nuclear arms,” Zhantikin told the journalists during Kazatomexpo international exhibition. He also said that Kazakhstan would receive no financial benefits from placement of the nuclear fuel bank at its territory. “[Kazakhstan will receive] nothing economically. Basically, there are only losses in terms of money,” Zhantikin said. According to him, Kazakhstan will have to maintain the bank at its own expense, in particular, to provide electricity and water supplies to this facility, not speaking of provision of premises. “In terms of the financial balance alone, of course, it will be negative, as we will bear the costs of maintenance of this bank,” Zhantikin said. Answering the question why Kazakhstan wants this nuclear fuel storage, he reminded: “We have pledged that we are the country that is doing its best to enhance the international non-proliferation regime. This is how we are doing it.” By Renat Tashkinbayev