Kazakhstan votes on whether to build first nuclear power plant By Reuters

ALMATY (Reuters) – Kazakhstan will vote in a referendum on Sunday on whether to build its first nuclear power plant, an idea promoted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s government as the Central Asian nation seeks to phase out polluting coal plants.

However, the plan has been criticized due to its dangers, the legacy of Soviet nuclear tests and fears that Russia would be involved in the project.

“We have come to the conclusion that the decision to build the nuclear power plant and to build it with (Russian state nuclear firm) Rosatom, has already been made in (Tokayev’s office) and the people of Kazakhstan are invited to the polling stations. for the “notaries” to authenticate this decision with their votes,” wrote the popular blogger Vadim Boreiko.

Despite having sizeable reserves, the Central Asian nation of 20 million relies largely on coal-fired power plants for its electricity needs, supplemented by some hydropower and a growing renewable energy sector.

Kazakhstan already imports electricity, mostly from Russia, as its facilities, many of them outdated, struggle to meet domestic demand. And coal is generally considered the most polluting energy source.

THE SOVIET HERITAGE

The government says a reliable power source is needed to supplement renewable sources such as solar and wind power, and as Kazakhstan is one of the world’s largest producers of uranium, nuclear power is a logical choice.

“In order not to remain on the sidelines of global progress, we must use our competitive advantages,” Tokayev said days before the vote.

The former Soviet republic, however, is not enriching uranium to the point where it can be used as fuel. The cabinet estimates that building a nuclear power plant would cost $10-12 billion.

Critics say the same goal can be achieved with gas plants which, while still using fossil fuels, are far less polluting than coal plants and pose less risk.

Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union in 1986 when the Chornobyl nuclear disaster occurred and tens of thousands of Kazakhs took part in the subsequent clean-up operation, which left many with lifelong health problems.

The country was also the site of hundreds of Soviet nuclear weapons tests, which rendered large areas of land uninhabitable, caused numerous illnesses among people in nearby areas, and caused many people to become distrustful of anything nuclear .

“You don’t always have to look back, remember the bad things and complain,” Tokayev said of such a feeling. “(We) just have to move forward and be optimistic or we will lose in this global race for progress.”