Kazakhstan has announced plans to build a second nuclear power plant in the Almaty region, naming China as the preferred contractor. Almasadam Satkaliyev, head of Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency, disclosed the decision during a parliamentary briefing earlier this month, noting that the southern site was chosen to ease regional power shortages and ensure a stable electricity supply.
The country’s first nuclear power plant, already under construction in the Almaty region’s Ulken village, was awarded to Russia’s state-owned Rosatom. That project involves two VVER-1200 reactors, with an estimated investment of $14–15 billion and a construction timeline of about eleven years.
For the second plant, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) currently holds the leading position among bidders. While no final decision has been made, Satkaliyev said CNNC’s proposal is considered the most favorable. The Chinese firm is offering its Hualong One reactor — an advanced third-generation design with a projected lifespan of 60 years and an efficiency rate exceeding 90 percent.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly identified energy security as a strategic priority, emphasizing the importance of partnerships with major international players to strengthen Kazakhstan’s energy resilience. The International Atomic Energy Agency has also approved the construction of another plant near Kurchatov in the Abai region of eastern Kazakhstan.
As the world’s largest uranium producer — holding roughly 12 percent of global reserves — Kazakhstan has not operated any nuclear power facilities since the closure of the Semipalatinsk test site in the 1990s. However, mounting energy demand and widening gaps between production and consumption have led authorities to view nuclear power as essential to reducing dependence on Russian electricity imports and fossil fuels, which still account for about half of the country’s energy mix.
China’s apparent advantage may disappoint European competitors, who were previously sidelined in similar bids. France’s EDF, the sole European finalist for the first plant, ultimately lost despite diplomatic efforts. Kazakhstan’s atomic agency noted that only Russia and China currently offer end-to-end nuclear services — from financing and construction to personnel training and spent-fuel management — underscoring the difficulties European firms face competing in this strategically significant sector.
Source: Radio France International, October 9, 2025
https://rfi.my/C536