On October 6 of this year, the Kazakhstani people will give the final answer in a referendum on whether nuclear power will become a component of their everyday lives, or whether nuclear-phobia, connected the memory of atomic testing, and distrust in embezzlement by officials will prevail.
The goal of President Tokayev in signing a decree on holding a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) was to ensure that arguments for nuclear energy are compelling and involve citizens, scientists, and government officials in the decision-making process. However, it’s crucial that the public are fully informed about these plans. Given this, $33 million has been allocated for the staging of the referendum.
With demand for electricity soaring, it can be argued that the case for the NPP is compelling. Officials forecast that electricity deficits are set to worsen, leading to a reliance on imports, such as was the case in the 1990s. In the first three months of 2024 alone, electricity tariffs rose by 26%. The most recent polling has shown that the public are largely in favor of the plant.
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