Kazakhstan’s CEC Releases Initial Results of Nuclear Power Plant Referendum
More than 70% of referendum participants in Kazakhstan support the construction of a nuclear power plant
In a recent referendum held in Kazakhstan on October 6, more than 70% of the participants supported the construction of a nuclear power plant, according to the Central Election Commission. The preliminary results show that 71.12% of participants, which amount to over 5.5 million people, voted in favor of building the plant out of the 7.8 million Kazakhstanis who took part in the referendum. The voter turnout was reported to be over 63%.
It is worth noting that even though Kazakhstan is the largest uranium producer in the world, the country currently does not have a nuclear power plant. With the overwhelming support shown in the recent referendum, it is likely that the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan will soon commence.
Additionally, the Ministry of Energy in Kyrgyzstan has also been considering the idea of building a nuclear power plant in the country. The head of the Ministry, Taalaibek Ibraev, mentioned that efforts are already underway to locate a suitable site for Rosatom’s nuclear power plant. However, Ibraev emphasized that the construction will only proceed if the people of Kyrgyzstan agree to it.
Ibraev pointed to Kazakhstan as an example, stating that neighboring countries are already moving towards nuclear power plant construction. He highlighted the importance of the referendum in Kazakhstan as a decisive factor that will shape the future direction of such projects. It remains to be seen how the discussions around nuclear power plants will unfold in Central Asia in the coming years.
