Kazakhstan to build its first nuclear power plants with the support of Russia's Rosatom and CNNC and China

Kazakhstan has announced the construction of its first nuclear power plants, led by the Rosatom (Russia) and CNNC (China) consortiums. Although it is a major uranium producer, the country depends mainly on coal-fired power plants. The October 2023 referendum approved the project, and the government is targeting 2.4 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035. The first plant will be built in Ulken, using VVER-1200 reactors, and Kazakhstan will also work with CNNC on a second plant. These initiatives strengthen energy relations with Russia and China.