Experts Comment on Rosatom Being Chosen to Lead International Consortium for Kazakhstan’s First Nuclear Power Plant

The Atomic Energy Agency of Kazakhstan has officially announced Russia’s Rosatom as the general contractor for the construction of the country’s first major nuclear power plant. 

Orda.kz, together with energy experts, examines why the Russian company was selected for such a strategic project, and what the decision means.

Russia, China, France, and South Korea competed for the right to build Kazakhstan’s first full-fledged NPP. Rosatom and China’s CNNC ultimately emerged as the frontrunners.

Nuclear physicist Yerlan Batyrbekov, CEO of the RSE National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, notes that all the companies applying for general contractor status had the necessary tech, but Rosatom and CNNC had more experience.

Let's compare the parameters of the companies and countries that made it to the shortlist. All reactor technologies considered for Kazakhstan generally meet safety requirements, can withstand or can be adapted to a maximum design earthquake of nine points, have active and passive safety systems, include solutions and measures for managing severe accidents and have a double containment. At the same time, Russia and China are building more than 20 reactors both at home and abroad, unlike France and Korea, which are building two reactors each using APR1400 technology in Korea, APR1000 in the Czech Republic and EPR1200 in the UK,
Yerlan Batyrbekov believes. 

Analyst Olzhas Baidildinov, meanwhile, emphasizes that by 2030, Central Asia could face an electricity shortfall of 9 GW.

Nuclear energy, he argues, is essential, and Kazakhstan isn’t the only one in the region choosing Rosatom.

In my opinion, this is the most reasonable and correct decision. Rosatom is a well-deserved leader in the field of nuclear technologies, it has built nuclear reactors in almost a dozen countries and is negotiating this in many more countries. Initially, Rosatom entered into a construction contract with Uzbekistan for the construction of a small nuclear power plant - there were supposed to be six reactors there. But literally yesterday it became known that this project will be reformatted, and along with the small nuclear power plant, a large station with two power units will also be built. Uzbekistan, like us, mines uranium and supplies it to world markets,
Olzhas Baidildinov says. 

Rosatom already has contracts to build reactors in neighboring Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Kazakhstan’s energy grid is interconnected with theirs.

The selection also signals a shared regional strategy. As the region’s largest economy, Kazakhstan has a chance to lead.

There is an obvious advantage in the fact that Russia will 'cover' our energy deficit during construction. We had a deficit of 2.2 GW last December - this is equivalent to one nuclear power plant with two reactors. It already exists, and it will grow. Perhaps, over time, the project will be reformatted, and we will start with two power units with the prospect of expanding to three or four - because it is the south of Kazakhstan that is experiencing an electricity deficit, this is where the main population and industrial growth occurs, as well as the electrification of everything: transport, industry, and so on. Our energy system will obviously continue to operate in a single mode with Russia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, where the nuclear power plants will be located. This is a big plus for stable operation. The measures that will be implemented not only during the construction of the nuclear power plant, but also in the energy systems of our countries as a whole, will allow for long-term unified operation. The service life of a nuclear power plant is from 60 to 100 years. This means that the nuclear power plant that will appear in Kazakhstan by 2035 will operate until at least 2100. This is a correct long-term decision,
Olzhas Baidildinov says. 

Nurlan Zhumagulov, head of Energy Monitor, says the choice of Rosatom was expected, pointing to logistics, language, and cost.

It is quite logical that Rosatom was chosen as the general contractor. Since it is cheaper, we have a common language - construction will proceed more easily and quickly,
Nurlan Zhumagulov writes. 

Transport links between Kazakhstan and Russia are already well-developed, which makes it faster and cheaper to bring in materials, equipment, and personnel compared to working with companies in France or Korea.

We certainly have a lot of specialists who work in Rosatom structures in foreign projects, who studied at Russian universities. And we simply do not have a language barrier - and this is very important when it comes to months, not years,
Olzhas Baidildinov believes. 

Other foreign companies, most likely China’s CNNC, will join the consortium.

Russia and China have more extensive experience in participating in international consortiums, as they are able to effectively combine equipment from different manufacturers in one project. Russia has the best experience in building NPPs abroad with more than 20 reactors in China, Türkiye, Bangladesh, Belarus, India, Iran and Egypt, including complex adaptation to national requirements and working with local industry,
Yerlan Batyrbekov writes. 

U.S. sanctions remain a risk.

This may complicate the implementation of the project in a certain sense. On the other hand, this is an opportunity for Kazakhstan to localize the production of the equipment and technologies that Rosatom needs. And later, to start exporting them. Maybe this sounds like a fantasy, but it is still a big start because the same production will be developed in both Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. And it is important for Kazakhstan to take the lead,
Olzhas Baidildinov says. 

Zhumagulov adds that beyond sanctions, Kazakhstan will need clarity on the price of nuclear energy from Rosatom:

The most important thing is to find out the tariff. The Ministry of Energy told me that the parties will have to create an intergovernmental commission to resolve this issue. So we will wait. 

Original Author: Nikita Drobny