ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 19. The Kazakh city of Turkestan has held regular public discussions on the construction of nuclear power plant in the country, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan.
During their speeches, representatives from the Ministry, RSE National Nuclear Center, Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP, and RSE Institute of Nuclear Physics emphasized the necessity of constructing a modern nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan. This initiative is driven by the substantial increase in electricity demand and the country's requirement for a reliable power supply.
Participants in the discussions raised pertinent questions regarding the environmental impact, economic considerations, infrastructure development, personnel training, and safety of NPP. These topics were comprehensively addressed by the speakers, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of the NPP construction.
It is highlighted that local residents have expressed support for the idea of constructing a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, considering the importance of energy and environmental safety principles.
On September 1, 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that Kazakhstan would conduct a referendum regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant.
"In my election platform in 2019, I pledged that significant strategic decisions would be subject to referendums. The decision regarding the construction or rejection of a nuclear power plant is crucial for our country's future. Hence, I suggest holding a national referendum on this matter. Specific terms will be determined later," he said.
Following this, Kazakhstan released a list of companies competing to supply technology for the country's inaugural nuclear power plant. These include China's CNNC with the HPR-1000 reactor, South Korea's KHNP with the APR-1400 reactor, France's EDF with the EPR-1200 reactor, and Russia's Rosatom with the VVER-1200 and VVER-1000 reactors.
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