A contract for the design, supply and construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant was signed on the sidelines of the 11th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok between Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP and Atomstroyexport JSC, a subsidiary of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, Qazinform News Agency cites the Nuclear Energy Agency of Kazakhstan.
The signing ceremony was attended by Almassadam Satkaliyev, chairman of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Energy Agency, and Alexey Likhachev, director general of Rosatom. The agreement marks the transition of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant project to a practical implementation phase.
Under the intergovernmental agreement signed on May 28, 2026, the sides will continue the procedures stipulated by the agreement, including obtaining the necessary approval from the Government of Kazakhstan. The project is considered strategically important for Kazakhstan as the country’s demand for reliable and stable electricity is expected to grow alongside economic expansion, industrial development, infrastructure projects, digitalization and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
According to Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Energy Agency, nuclear power will provide stable baseload electricity generation for decades while creating additional opportunities for domestic industry, advanced technology development and the training of highly qualified specialists.
The construction of the nuclear power plant is also part of Kazakhstan’s long-term strategy to strengthen energy security and independence, expand its industrial and technological capabilities, develop a skilled workforce and enhance the country’s technological sovereignty.
A particular focus will be placed on localization, with efforts to maximize the involvement of Kazakhstani companies, specialists, suppliers and service providers in the project. The authorities expect the construction of the first nuclear power plant to stimulate the development of domestic industry, support the creation of new manufacturing capabilities and technologies, and help establish national expertise that could underpin the further development of Kazakhstan’s nuclear energy sector.
The project is expected to provide a long-term foundation for sustainable economic growth and become one of the key milestones in the formation of Kazakhstan’s modern nuclear industry, the agency said. Earlier, Qazinform reported a new complex at Kazakhstan’s Zhalpak mine would produce 500 tons of uranium annually.