Akan Rakhmetullin

Opinion | Why Kazakhstan is pursuing its own nuclear power programme

The nation has good reason to consider nuclear energy, in service of both its own interests and adding to global climate change efforts

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A drone view shows domes of the Central Mosque with the backdrop of the Tien Shan Mountains in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on April 7. Last year, Kazakhstan became a net importer of electricity as it struggled with a power deficit. Photo: Reuters

Akan Rakhmetullin

Published: 4:30pm, 27 Sep 2024

On October 6, Kazakhstan will hold a referendum to decide whether to build a nuclear power plant. This issue has been the subject of intense debate in the country for several years.

Currently, 412 nuclear reactors in 31 countries with a combined capacity of 370 gigawatts generate nearly 10 per cent of the world’s electricity. There are new reactors under construction in 18 countries, and another 30 countries are either planning to launch nuclear energy programmes or considering such a possibility. Kazakhstan is among them.

Our country has several reasons to consider nuclear energy. A primary factor is the rapidly growing energy consumption. In 2023, Kazakhstan became a net importer of electricity as it struggled with a power deficit. While we continue to develop renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, only nuclear power can provide the large-scale, stable supply needed.

Second, Kazakhstan holds almost 45 per cent of the world’s uranium reserves, making it a leading producer and exporter. Rather than limiting its role to uranium mining and fuel pod exports, Kazakhstan aims to enrich uranium to industry standards for domestic energy production.

Moreover, Kazakhstan has a strong reputation in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and is a reliable partner in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We closed the Semipalatinsk test site in 1991 and voluntarily relinquished what was then the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal, which was stationed on our territory.

Thirty years ago, we joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Kazakhstan also hosts the IAEA Low Enriched Uranium Bank, which guarantees its members access to nuclear fuel if it cannot be sourced through commercial means.