Kazakhstan has chosen Russia’s Rosatom as the lead contractor for building its first nuclear power plant — and the corporation will also take part in training the specialists needed to operate the facility, the country’s Atomic Energy Agency announced.
“As the consortium leader, Rosatom is also responsible for training the plant’s operating personnel,” the agency told Kazakh news outlet BES.media.
“We estimate around 2,000 staff will be required to run the plant, including roughly 400 with nuclear-specific expertise. The rest will be technical personnel similar to those currently working at our coal- and gas-fired power stations,” the statement said.
According to the agency, training is already underway through 18 educational programs, developed in partnership with Kazakh universities and international institutions specializing in nuclear technology.
The decision to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power station was approved by a national referendum in 2024. In June, the agency announced that Rosatom was selected as the lead contractor over competitors from China (CNNC), France (EDF), and South Korea (KHNP), citing the Russian company’s more favorable proposal.
The plant will be located in the Almaty region and is expected to go online by 2035–2036. The head of the Atomic Energy Agency, Almasadam Satkaliyev, has previously said the project will be formalized through an intergovernmental agreement with Russia, which Kazakhstan hopes to sign later this year.
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Photo: Federation Council
Based on TASS materials