Kazakhstan votes to initiate nuclear energy development

Kazakhstan has voted in favour of developing nuclear energy, with 71.12% of voters supporting the construction of nuclear power plants, according to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission. Of the 7.8 million voters, the majority agreed to the proposal in the referendum held on 6 October.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized the need for an international consortium with advanced technology to work in the country, highlighting nuclear energy as a sustainable solution for Kazakhstan’s growing energy needs. Currently, 85.99% of the country’s generation capacity relies on fossil fuels, despite Kazakhstan being the world’s leading producer of uranium.

While Kazakhstan lacks nuclear power in its current energy mix, the country has historical experience with nuclear reactors and has been preparing for this development since 2014. The government aims for nuclear power to contribute 5% of its energy generation by 2035.