Two nuclear power plants are planned to be built in the Almaty region.

The head of the Atomic Energy Agency, Almasadam Satkaliyev, announced plans to build a future nuclear power plant in the Zhambyl district of the Almaty region.

“A meeting of the State Commission for the Development of the Nuclear Industry was held, where a second promising site for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan was identified. The next site has also been identified in the Zhambyl district of the Almaty region,” he said, speaking at a briefing in the Majilis, according to Kazinform.

The second station, he said, will also be in the south of the country because it is “in short supply.”

“Electricity is transmitted via north-south transit. This will ensure reliable and stable power supply,” Satkaliev said.

According to him, negotiations are currently underway with all parties involved. A final decision on the contractor has not yet been made, but the Chinese company CNNC is being considered as a priority partner.

“All work related to the contractor, technical solutions, and the attitude of Kazakhstan citizens toward a particular vendor will be fully taken into account,” the head of the department emphasized.

As a reminder, Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant is being built in August in the village of Ulken, Almaty region. The Russian company Rosatom is the general contractor for the project.

Another nuclear power plant may be built in western Kazakhstan, on the shores of the Caspian Sea, Satkaliyev sai.

“While the site hasn’t been specifically identified yet, it’s being considered as a potential location for a nuclear power plant with small and medium-sized reactors. That is, a study will be conducted soon to determine the feasibility of constructing the nuclear power plant,” Satkaliev said.

Small and medium-sized reactors (SMRs) are nuclear installations with a lower electrical output than traditional large nuclear power plants. SMRs typically produce up to 300 megawatts of electricity, while medium-sized reactors produce between 300 and 700–1,000 megawatts.