Russia begins work on neighbor’s first nuclear power plant
State-owned Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom has launched engineering surveys to determine the site of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant. Project officials have described the undertaking as strategically important for the country’s future.
Despite Western efforts to squeeze Russian technology out of global markets following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Rosatom has continued working on projects while signing new contracts in multiple countries.
In a statement on Friday, the corporation said “engineering surveys to determine the optimal site and prepare design documentation for the future high-capacity NPP” were underway in Kazakhstan’s Almaty Region.
Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev, who attended the launch ceremony, described the project as “strategically important for Kazakhstan’s development.” Kazakhstan’s atomic energy agency chief, Almasadam Satkaliyev, similarly hailed the undertaking as the country's “strategic choice and a driver of long-term regional and national economic growth.”
According to Rosatom, the nuclear power plant will feature Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors, which have proven their value at multiple facilities in Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Bangladesh, Egypt, and China.
The facility is expected to become operational by 2036.
Earlier this year, Kazakh authorities also announced plans for two additional nuclear plants, to be built by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
Since January, Rosatom has signed cooperation agreements with Malaysia, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
The Russian state corporation is also building India’s largest nuclear power plant, Kudankulam, where it is the only foreign contractor.
In Europe, Rosatom began work on Hungary’s second nuclear plant in 2014. The project had stalled due to US sanctions but resumed earlier this year after Washington lifted restrictions.
In Türkiye, another NATO member state, Rosatom is constructing the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.
In 2023, President Vladimir Putin hailed Rosatom as unmatched globally, with a portfolio spanning multiple continents.
