The government commission overseeing the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) has accelerated its work, and a decision on the consortium participants will be made in the first half of 2025, reports the “Adyrna” national portal. This was announced by Minister of Energy Almasadam Satkaliyev.
“Initially, a final decision on the winner of this process was planned for next year. However, following the President’s recent instructions, the commission will expedite this work and make the appropriate decision soon. A decision will be made in the first half of 2025,” Satkaliyev stated.
According to the Minister, companies must provide Kazakhstan with proposals that ensure the optimization of timelines and costs.
“For example, China’s National Nuclear Corporation built a power block in Pakistan within six years. Modern technologies allow for faster decision-making,” he explained.
However, Satkaliyev emphasized that building a nuclear power plant is a long-term process. Typically, the design phase takes three years, and construction from “first concrete to full completion of the first block” takes 8 to 14 years.
“These timelines are unfavorable for Kazakhstan. We need to organize the work efficiently, develop our competencies, and leverage international experience. Comprehensive work must also be done with vendors to develop high-quality proposals,” the minister noted.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev previously instructed the Ministry of Energy to expedite work on the NPP project. Following a referendum, the President announced plans to establish a consortium involving multiple countries to build the plant.
France and China have expressed readiness to participate in the project, while Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Rosatom is prepared to take part in the construction of the NPP in Kazakhstan.
