Kazakh Nuclear Expert Comments On Rosatom Being Chosen to Build Country’s First Nuclear Power Plant

Erlan Batyrbekov, General Director of the RSE National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, shared his views on Rosatom leading the construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant, Orda.kz reports.

Rosatom is the pioneer of nuclear technologies in the world, it has the most developed and experienced nuclear school. The world's first nuclear power plant was launched in Obninsk in 1954. It should be noted that the world's first industrial fast neutron reactor BN-350 was built using Russian technology and operated in our Aqtau, on the shores of the Caspian Sea,Erlan Batyrbekov wrote on Facebook. 

To provide context, the nuclear physicist compared the specifications of the companies and countries that made the shortlist.

All reactor technologies considered for Kazakhstan generally meet safety requirements, withstand or can be adapted to a maximum design earthquake of magnitude 9, have active and passive safety systems, include solutions and measures for managing severe incidents, and have double containment. 

He also pointed out that Russia and China are constructing over 20 reactors both domestically and internationally, while France and Korea are each building two using APR1400 technology in Korea, APR1000 in the Czech Republic, and EPR1200 in the UK.

Moreover, 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. At the same time, 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 work with local industry, which allows for maximum use of local content in project implementation,  Erlan Batyrbekov concluded.

Original Author: Natalia Ovchinnikova