Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency (AEA) has confirmed that Russian preferential export financing for the country’s first nuclear power plant will be directed toward the purchase of long-cycle equipment and major construction works. Key components to be covered include the reactor, steam generators, and main circulation pumps.
The 2.4 GW twin-unit plant will be built near the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake Balkhash in the Almaty region. The loan’s terms and parameters will be set during the drafting of an intergovernmental agreement.
Construction Management
The project has been entrusted to Kazakhstan Atomic Power Plants LLP (KAP), a subsidiary of Samruk-Kazyna. In July, KAP was placed under the trust management of the AEA and will later become state property.
The agency is also studying potential sites for the second and third nuclear power plants, taking into account geological, seismic, infrastructural, and environmental factors, along with electricity demand and public opinion. All studies are being conducted in line with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards.
Fuel Production in Kazakhstan
The AEA also highlighted plans to produce nuclear fuel domestically. The Ulba-TVS plant has reached its design capacity of 200 tons of finished fuel in low-enriched uranium terms, equivalent to about 1,600 tons of natural uranium annually, enough to reload six reactors.
A joint venture with China’s CGNPC, the plant currently manufactures 440 fuel assemblies per year for Chinese nuclear power stations, each weighing about half a ton and produced to a French Framatome design. Moving to two-shift production could double output.
While Kazakhstan lacks uranium conversion and enrichment facilities, authorities plan to develop this segment to establish a full nuclear fuel cycle. The AEA and Kazatomprom aim to ensure a steady fuel supply for the plant’s entire operational life.
Project Costs and Local Involvement
Russia’s financing will primarily fund equipment with long manufacturing lead times. The total cost of construction will be set after design completion and expert review.
The AEA noted that costs will depend on site-specific engineering and survey results, local seismic and meteorological conditions, use of international equipment, the degree of domestic production of materials, and the involvement of local contractors and specialists.
Kazakh suppliers will have priority in providing materials and labor, provided they meet certification standards. “It is economically unfeasible to import construction materials and workers from Russia if the necessary resources and specialists are available in Kazakhstan at more competitive prices,” the agency stated.
