Kazakh PM Olzhas Bektenov discusses NPP construction in Kazakhstan with Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Combine personnel

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov during his working trip to Akmola region visited Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Combine, which is one of the flagships of domestic industry, where he met with the staff and discussed topical issues of energy security and development of domestic industry, El.kz cites primeminister.kz.

Attention was paid to the implementation of the tasks set out in the President's Address to the people of Kazakhstan "Fair Kazakhstan: law and order, economic growth, social optimism".

During his visit to Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Combine Olzhas Bektenov familiarised himself with the advanced processes for processing of uranium-containing raw materials. Kazakhstan ranks first in the world in uranium mining, producing about 40% of the world's uranium. The Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Combine, which processes uranium, provides stable supplies for the world nuclear power industry and makes a significant contribution to the economic development of the region. Last year the Combine produced 1,650 tonnes of finished uranium products. The design capacity is 4,000 tonnes of natural uranium per year, and the processing capacity is up to 1 million tonnes of copper-molybdenum ore.

The town-forming enterprise employs over 1,000 people. During the inspection the Prime Minister was informed about plans for further modernisation of the plant aimed at increasing the processing capacity up to 6 thousand tonnes of uranium per year. From 2026, it is planned to reach full capacity with uranium-containing raw materials supplied from the Budenovskoye deposit. This will provide new jobs and stable employment for the residents of the single-industry town.

Addressing the production workers, Prime Minister emphasised the important role of the enterprise in ensuring energy security of the country. During the conversation the topical issues of industrial and nuclear industry were discussed.

Energy consumption in Kazakhstan is about 17 GW, which exceeds production volumes. In this regard, certain volumes of electricity are purchased in neighbouring countries. Kazakhstan needs to switch to other sources of energy.

It was noted that nuclear power can become a basic source of energy for Kazakhstan and contribute to the sustainable development of the energy system. The construction of nuclear power plants, in case of a favourable decision on the results of the referendum, will make it possible to fill the shortage of electricity in the market with growing demand and declining due to wear and tear of equipment generation. It will enable the stable generation of safe, clean energy.

"The reliability and stability of the energy system is the Government's top priority. The growing challenges require radically new approaches and the solution of a perennial problem. Kazakhstan needs to introduce a new main generator of electricity. If there is support of the people at the referendum, which the President has scheduled for 6 October, we will go in this direction.Without it, neither industrial development nor ordinary life support is possible. All this will enable the country to develop," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.

Peaceful atom contributes to the development of related industries, science, SMEs and the growth of the economy as a whole. A positive impact on the labour market was noted: during the construction of NPP it is planned to create at least 10 thousand jobs, at the stages of operation and maintenance of the plant up to 2 thousand permanent jobs.

Reporting on the development of alternative sources, Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev said that NPPs operate almost round the clock and all year round. This ensures a high utilisation rate of installed capacity and efficient use of investments. Currently, there are about 200 NPPs operating in more than 30 developed and developing countries. Modern nuclear power plants have the highest level of safety.

In their turn, the employees of the enterprise, following the discussion, expressed their support for the President's initiatives voiced in the Address, including the development of nuclear power and unlocking the country's industrial potential.

"I have been working at our production facility for 17 years, the enterprise allowed me to get higher education, which, accordingly, led to career growth. I would like to express a collective opinion on this issue. Taking into account that the industrial cycle is now rapidly developing, and outdated technologies definitely require modernisation, the general opinion(note - collective) is as follows: we need to build a nuclear power plant,"Andrey Chernykh, chief engineer of the enterprise, said.

In turn, Galymzhan Perdebaev, head of the loading and unloading section of the plant, spoke in favour of the initiatives of the Head of State to support industrial enterprises and instruments of social support for citizens.

"I have been working at the combine for about 30 years. Our enterprise is actively developing, there is modernisation, expansion of production, increase in output of finished products. As you know, 2025 has been declared by the President as the Year of Working Professions.In addition, the direction for the development of technical specialities has been given. We fully support this point of the Head of State's Address.It is necessary to involve young people into working professions, which we are looking forward to at our enterprise," Larisa Bulatova, Head of the Central Research Laboratory of the Works, said.

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