The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies has announced the results of a telephone survey concerning the proposed construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.
In his address to the nation on September 1, 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the economic and political importance of the development of nuclear energy, and proposed resolving the issue of building the country’s first nuclear power plant through a nationwide referendum. In June 2024, Tokayev announced that the referendum on building a nuclear power plant would be held this fall, adding that the Cabinet of Ministers would set the exact date.
The survey was conducted from August 7 to August 18 this year, among 1,200 respondents aged 18 and older from Kazakhstan’s 17 regions and the cities of Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent.
Over half of respondents (53.1%) supported building a nuclear power plant, agreeing that it will help solve the problem of electricity shortages by 2030.
32.5% of the respondents oppose the construction of nuclear power plants, mainly because they fear possible accidents and their environmental consequences.
14.4% were uncertain of their stance.
During the survey, 42.6% of the respondents expressed a firm intention to participate in a referendum on the issue of nuclear power plant construction, 16.4% said they are likely to participate, 25.3% do not plan to take part, 8.9% are unlikely to participate, and 6.8% are unsure.
The Ministry of Energy estimates the cost of building a nuclear power plant at $10-12 billion.
Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev said that the nuclear power plant would be built by a foreign company that wins the tender — providing that the issue is approved in the referendum. In addition to companies from China, Russia, France, and South Korea, the ministry is considering companies from the United States and Japan as potential bidders.
The proposed location of the nuclear power plant is the village of Ulken in the Karaganda region.
