Kazakhstan votes on building its first nuclear power plant

ALMATY, Oct 6 (Reuters) – Kazakhstan will vote in a referendum on Sunday on whether to build its first nuclear power plant. The idea is being promoted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s government as the Central Asian nation seeks to phase out polluting coal-fired power plants.

However, the plan has faced public criticism due to its risks, the legacy of Soviet nuclear tests and concerns that Russia would be involved in the project.

“I came to the conclusion that the decision to build a nuclear power plant and build it together with (Russian state nuclear enterprise) Rosatom has already been made in (Tokayev’s office) and the people of Kazakhstan are invited to the polling stations as “notaries” who will confirm this decision with their votes ” – wrote popular blogger Vadim Boreiko.

Despite having significant natural gas reserves, the Central Asian nation of 20 million meets its electricity needs mainly through coal-fired power plants, supplemented by some hydropower plants and a growing renewable energy sector.

Kazakhstan already imports electricity, mainly from Russia, because its installations, many of which are outdated, struggle to meet domestic demand. Coal is widely considered the most polluting energy source.

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The government argues that a reliable energy supply is needed to complement renewable sources such as solar and wind power, and since Kazakhstan is one of the world’s largest uranium producers, nuclear power is a logical choice.

“In order not to remain on the sidelines of global progress, we must use our competitive advantage,” Tokayev said a few days before the vote.

However, the former Soviet Republic does not enrich uranium to a level where it can be used as fuel. The government estimates that building a nuclear power plant will cost between $10 billion and $12 billion.

Critics say the same goal could be achieved with gas-fired power plants, which, while still using fossil fuels, are much less polluting than coal plants and carry fewer risks.

Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union in 1986 when the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred, and tens of thousands of Kazakhs took part in the subsequent clean-up operation that left many with lifelong health problems.

The country was also the site of hundreds of Soviet nuclear weapons tests, which rendered large swathes of land uninhabitable, caused widespread disease among the population in nearby areas, and caused many people to lose confidence in anything nuclear.

“You shouldn’t always look back, remember the bad things and complain,” Tokayev said of this attitude. “(We) just need to move forward and be optimistic, otherwise we will lose in this global race for progress.”

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