Kazakhstan will begin producing its own nuclear fuel, Deputy Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency Asset Makhambetov announced on August 8, Zakon.kz reports. Negotiations on the project are currently underway.
The news follows the ceremonial launch of construction work on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant, held in the village of Ulken on the shore of Lake Balkhash. The event featured speeches from all project partners and a symbolic start to drilling operations. Soil samples taken during drilling will be sent to the Russian side for further study.
Earlier, Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev estimated that building the plant could take around seven years, with project costs of no less than $14 billion.
The initiative for a nationwide referendum on building a nuclear power plant was first proposed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his September 1, 2023 address. The referendum took place on October 6, 2024, with the Central Election Commission reporting that more than 5.5 million Kazakh citizens voted in favor. On February 25, 2025, the location of the first plant was officially approved in Zhambyl district of Almaty region, leading to this week’s ceremonial groundbreaking.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 8, 2025