ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 16. Kazakhstan has supplied China with the third batch of nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants (NPPs), Trend reports.
Chairman of the Board of the Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund, JSC Nurlan Zhakupov, took part in the acceptance of Kazakhstan-made fuel assemblies at a nuclear power plant in the city of the Yangtze in China.
"This project is proof that our countries can and are already implementing high-tech production," he said.
The head of the fund expressed gratitude to all the specialists from the Chinese and Kazakh sides who made a great contribution to the successful implementation of the project.
In 2015, Kazatomprom JSC, together with the Chinese nuclear energy corporation CGN, based on the Ulba Metallurgical Plant, created a joint venture, Ulba Fuel Assembly Plant LLP, to produce high-tech nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants. The launch of production took place in November 2021. The Ulba fuel assembly plant has a guaranteed sales market for 20 years in advance. The launch of innovative production allowed Kazakhstan to enter a limited circle of states that produce and supply nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants.
Kazakhstan ranks second in the world in terms of proven reserves of natural uranium. About 14 percent of all proven world reserves are concentrated in the depths of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The country's total proven reserves are estimated at more than 700,000 tons of uranium.
In 2009, Kazakhstan took first place in uranium production in the world and continues to maintain a leading position in the world market. Kazakhstan produces about 40 percent of the world's uranium production. In 2021, the volume of uranium production amounted to 21,800 tons, according to the results of 2022—21,300 tons.