Kazakh companies expected to play major role in first nuclear power plant project
Kazakhstan plans to involve local companies as much as possible in the construction of its first nuclear power plant, though the exact share of the $14 billion project budget they will receive remains unclear, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said on Tuesday, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Speaking at a press conference after a government meeting, Bektenov noted that precise figures cannot yet be determined, as the project’s technical and cost documentation is still under preparation.
“We will involve Kazakh companies as much as possible in the construction. However, we cannot provide exact figures yet, as the project’s design and cost-estimate documentation is not ready. Once those documents are finalized, specific data will emerge and we will be able to share them. The main thing is to engage domestic companies,” noted the Prime Minister.
First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar added that the feasibility study for the nuclear plant is expected to be completed by December, while the full project and cost documentation will be ready next year.
Sklyar also clarified that the estimated $14 billion cost is a preliminary figure provided by the Atomic Energy Agency and may change as documentation is finalized.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan and Russia had signed documents determining the main phases of preparation and implementation of the nuclear plant construction project.
