In what can be described as a significant milestone of cooperation, Russia has commenced the construction of nuclear power plant for Kazakhstan.
Engineering surveys of the project was launched for the high-capacity nuclear power plant (NPP), in Ulken, Almaty Region of Kazakhstan.
The agreement for the NPP construction was signed by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, and Almasadam Satkaliyev, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum earlier this year.
The document outlines key cooperation stages, including conducting engineering surveys, preparing design documentation, and signing an EPC contract.
This project seeks to ensure Kazakhstan’s long-term energy security, develop national nuclear infrastructure, and support efforts to reduce the country’s carbon footprint which has become a global concern.
The NPP will be built using modern VVER-1200 reactors, translating into 1,200 MW, making it a high-capacity power plant which meets the strictest international safety standards.
With a service life of 60 years and a potential extension of another 20 years, this technology is already successfully used in operating and under-construction facilities in Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Bangladesh, Egypt, and China.
Rosatom, the Russian State Corporation, will lead an international consortium for the construction of the NPP, which is expected to provide a powerful boost to the region’s development, creating modern infrastructure, new schools, kindergartens, and social facilities.
Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, emphasized Rosatom’s readiness to apply its accumulated experience to implement this strategically important project for Kazakhstan’s development. “Today is only the first step, but it determines Kazakhstan’s path toward establishing a new high-tech sector in the national economy.”
Almasadam Satkaliyev, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency, touched on the significance of the project for Kazakhstan’s path toward establishing a new high-tech sector in the national economy and driving long-term regional and national economic growth.
The engineering surveys will involve drilling at least 50 boreholes, each between 30 and 120 meters deep, to assess seismic stability, hydrogeological features, and other parameters of the area. The final decision regarding the exact location of the NPP will be determined by the results of the survey.
In the face of the current instability in the power sector of Ghana, Atinkaonline.com takes interest in highlighting and promoting the use of a cleaner and relatively cheaper power sources, specifically nuclear power. This is very important at this point particularly due to the large reliance on thermal energy resulting in high tariffs culminating in illegal power usage, one major contributor to revenue losses.
By Edward Graham Sebbie
