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Kazakhstan is preparing for an international review of its nuclear infrastructure as it moves ahead with plans to build its first nuclear power plant. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are meeting with Kazakh officials in Astana from October 12 to 15 to help prepare a self-assessment report ahead of a full Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR).
According to Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency, the country is in the second phase of preparations for developing nuclear power under the IAEA’s methodology. At this stage, Kazakhstan must establish the legal, technical, and organizational framework needed to build its first nuclear power plant.
The review covers 19 areas, including safety, regulation, financing, and workforce training.
Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant will be built near the village of Ulken on the shore of Lake Balkhash, approximately 400 kilometers from Almaty. The project calls for two reactors with a combined capacity of 2.4 gigawatts. According to the latest estimates, commissioning could begin in 2037–2038.
Preparatory work at the site began in the summer of 2025. The project is being led by a consortium headed by Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, which signed a construction contract in September 2026.
Kazakhstan also plans to build two additional nuclear power plants. China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has been selected as the partner for both projects. Their technical specifications and construction timelines have yet to be determined.
Dmitry Pokidaev