Kazakhstan has established an ambitious 2035 deadline for the completion of its first two nuclear power plants. The government announced in June 2025 that the initial facility would be built in partnership with a consortium led by Russia’s Rosatom. Shortly thereafter, authorities confirmed that the second plant would be developed in collaboration with the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov reaffirmed these partnerships during a recent government briefing, noting that the first plant will be located near the village of Ulken in the Almaty Region on the shore of Lake Balkhash. The second facility, named Moyynkum, is also planned for a site near Lake Balkhash.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has framed these nuclear ambitions as part of a broader effort to transform the nation into a major construction site. During his annual state of the nation address in late October, the President described nuclear power as being of fundamental importance. He defended the 2024 referendum on the issue as the correct decision, despite reports of significant government pressure on critics of the project. Tokayev emphasized that the country requires more than just the plants themselves; he stressed the need to develop high-tech production facilities, transfer nuclear energy expertise, and train domestic specialists. He indicated that proposals for such cooperation are currently being received from both Russian and Chinese entities.
Regarding the project timeline, President Tokayev stated that it is possible, and perhaps necessary, to begin construction on the Balkhash plant in 2027, while also moving to sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement to promptly start work on the Moyynkum facility. While specific details of the export loan from Russia remain undisclosed, reports suggest that Moscow is providing up to 85 percent of the financing for the Balkhash project. The plant is designed to feature a pair of VVER-1200 III+ reactors with a combined capacity of 2.4 GWe. Survey work for this site commenced in August 2025. Initially estimated at $14-15 billion, the projected cost of the Balkhash plant had risen to approximately $16.4 billion by June 2026. Negotiations regarding the specifics of the Moyynkum project with China’s CNNC remain ongoing.
Beyond the first two plants, Kazakhstan is exploring the possibility of a third nuclear facility. According to the chairman of the country’s Atomic Energy Agency, Imassadam Satkaliyev, the government is considering a medium-capacity plant ranging from 300 to 600 MW. Potential locations for this third project include the city of Kurchatov in the Abai Region or a site in western Kazakhstan, which covers the regions of Aktobe, Atyrau, Mangystau, and West Kazakhstan.
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Tokayev then said that it was possible, “perhaps necessary,” to begin construction of the Balkhash NPP in 2027 and also to “sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement with the goal of promptly commencing construction of the Moyynkum NPP.”
