China to Build Second Nuclear Power Plant in Kazakhstan: Kazakh Atomic Energy Agency Says IAEA Supports the Concept of Building a Nuclear Power Plant in Abyi Region; Small Nuclear Power Plant Planned in Western Kazakhstan
Kazakh International News Agency report - The head of the Atomic Energy Agency, Almaas Adam Satybaev, said today that the International Atomic Energy Agency has agreed to the concept of building a nuclear power plant in the Abyi region, but the final decision has not been made yet.
After the session of the Majilis (lower house of parliament), Satybaev made this statement to the media.
"Under the participation of international experts, the National Nuclear Center conducted a detailed assessment of the possibility of building a nuclear power plant in Kurchatov. The assessment confirmed the feasibility of building such a facility. However, if it comes to specific plans, this must be based on the government's overall plan, energy balance forecasts, and the development needs of the national power grid. At present, there is no specific plan for building a nuclear power plant in Kurchatov. The head of state only issued an instruction to build a scientific city," he said.
He also added that even if Kurchatov is eventually selected as the location for the new nuclear power plant, the government will fully take into account the concerns of the people due to the issues left by the Semey nuclear test site.
"We believe that if a nuclear power plant is built in the Abyi region, small or medium modular reactor technology should be used, which is considered to have lower risks. In this process, we will strictly follow the open and transparent procedures. Our tasks include holding public hearings, obtaining conclusions from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, obtaining approvals from other national authorities, conducting site selection studies for the nuclear power plant, and listening to the opinions of international experts. By the way, the International Atomic Energy Agency has already agreed to the concept of this site. No region in Kazakhstan will start the construction of a nuclear power plant without sufficiently considering the opinions of the local residents," Satybaev emphasized.
Previously reported, the Kazakh people submitted more than 20,000 suggestions for naming the country's first nuclear power plant.
(Kazakh International News Agency report) Recently, the head of the Kazakh Atomic Energy Agency, Almaas Adam Satybaev, stated that the western region of Kazakhstan may become one of the potential sites for a new nuclear power plant.
According to Satybaev, the Caspian Sea coast is considered one of the potential directions. He pointed out at a press conference after the session of the Majilis (lower house of parliament) that the specific site for the nuclear power plant has not been finally determined yet.
"This area is being considered as a potential site for a nuclear power plant using small and medium power reactors. In this process, we will fully follow the basic guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and conduct relevant research on the possibility of construction in the near future. The research will cover key factors such as seismic safety, reservoir resources, and water supply security. Specifically, the Atomic Energy Agency plans to conduct surveys in the western region to determine suitable construction locations. We believe that this region has good prospects for developing nuclear power," he said.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844814330330122/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.