Kazakhstan selects Rosatom as supplier for its first nuclear power plant

The Kazakh government has announced that it has selected Russian state corporation Rosatom as the lead member of an international consortium to build the country’s first nuclear power plant. It is also planning a second nuclear project in cooperation with China.

Kazakhstan’s Agency for Atomic Energy held talks with several leading global suppliers of nuclear technology and drew up a shortlist of four bidders:

• Rosatom with VVER-1200 reactors,
• China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) with HPR-1000,
• France’s EDF with EPR1200,
• Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) with APR-1000/APR-1400.

The suppliers submitted comprehensive documentation, including technical and commercial proposals, estimated costs, construction schedules, financing models, opportunities for local companies to participate, proposals for carrying out construction work, staff training systems and the involvement of local partners in the nuclear fuel cycle.

The bids were evaluated according to a methodology developed by Kazakhstan’s Agency for Atomic Energy, Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP and French engineering firm Assystem.

Rosatom wins the tender

Following the analysis, Russia’s Rosatom was selected as the most suitable supplier. CNNC came second, while EDF and KHNP shared third place. Following the tender results, talks began on the possibility of state export financing from the Russian Federation.

“We welcome Kazakhstan’s decision. Generation III+ VVER-1200 reactors combine proven design solutions with the latest active and passive safety systems. This technology has already proved itself in Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Egypt, Türkiye, Bangladesh and China,” said Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev.

Second power plant with China’s help

Kazakhstan plans to work with other partners as well. Agency chairman Almasadam Satkaliyev announced that a separate agreement would be signed with China to build a second nuclear power plant.

“China is one of the few countries with a complete nuclear fuel cycle and a strong industrial base. It can build quickly and to a high standard,” Satkaliyev said.

Kazakhstan’s path to nuclear power

Kazakhstan is the world’s largest uranium producer, but it does not yet operate any nuclear power plants. However, it has experience operating research reactors and the BN-350 sodium-cooled fast reactor, which ran until 1999.

The country has been preparing for the introduction of nuclear power for a long time, aiming to diversify its energy mix, reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and cut CO₂ emissions. Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), established in 2014 as a subsidiary of the state fund Samruk-Kazyna, has already carried out preliminary studies and selected a site in Zhambyl District in the Almaty Region.

At last year’s referendum, more than 70% of voters supported building a nuclear power plant. The government aims to secure 2400 MWe of newly installed nuclear capacity and reach a 5% share of nuclear power in total electricity generation by 2035. In addition to large reactors, the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) is also being considered as a replacement for coal-fired plants nearing the end of their operating lives.