Kazakhstan has selected Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, and the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) to lead two separate international consortia in developing the country’s first nuclear power plants.
The initiative is part of Kazakhstan’s strategy to achieve 2.4GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2035.
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This will be a significant step for Kazakhstan, which has been without nuclear power generation since its BN-350 reactor was decommissioned in 1999.
Kazakhstan is one of the leading uranium producers globally, but is heavily reliant on coal-powered electricity generation complemented by hydroelectricity and renewables.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has backed the nuclear power plan following public approval via referendum in October 2024.
The country’s atomic energy agency, established in March 2025, has examined various proposals considering safety standards and personnel training among other factors, before deciding on Rosatom’s bid as the “most optimal and advantageous”.
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By GlobalDataKazakhstan also stated that efforts are underway to secure state export financing from Russia.
The new facility to be developed by Rosatom will feature two reactors and will be constructed in the village of Ulken, 400km northwest of Almaty.
Rosatom’s CEO Alexei Likhachev stated that the plant would utilise VVER-1200 Generation 3+ reactors.
A separate agreement will be signed with CNNC for a second nuclear plant, according to the atomic energy agency’s chairman Almasadam Satqaliev.
Details of additional consortium members and financial and timeline specifics of the proposals remain undisclosed.
In May 2025, Rosatom initiated legal proceedings against Finnish energy company Fortum and steel manufacturer Outokumpu for the termination of the Hanhikivi-1 nuclear power plant contract, demanding compensation of $2.8bn.
