Kazakhstan plans to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on building a nuclear power plant by the end of 2025, according to Almasadam Satkaliyev, head of the Kazakh Atomic Energy Agency.
“The final decision will be made after the intergovernmental agreement is signed,” Satkaliyev told reporters. “As you know, the interdepartmental commission has already reviewed and approved the outcome of the bidding process. The conclusions of the commission were later formally confirmed by the Energy Council.”
He noted that both sides have already begun working on the agreement. “We’ve set ourselves an ambitious timeline—we’re aiming to sign the document by the end of this year,” Satkaliyev said.
As for funding, Satkaliyev explained that financing arrangements will be determined through negotiations between the two governments. “The financing will be worked out through talks between the finance ministries of both countries. It’s expected to be a state loan,” he said. “We’ve already prepared a draft of the intergovernmental agreement, and all terms will be finalized during negotiations.”
According to Satkaliyev, a nuclear plant of the planned scale could cost at least $14 billion.
“We can’t disclose the details proposed by the vendors involved in the tender process, as they’re protected by confidentiality agreements. But based on global benchmarks, such a facility would require a minimum investment of around $14 billion,” he added in response to a question about projected costs.
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Photo: Federation Council
Based on TASS materials