Kazakh authorities expect the first power unit of the future nuclear power plant (NPP) to be built in 8 years, the republic's Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev told reporters.
“Based on the global average timeframe, we will raise the issue with official suppliers about the possibility of accelerating these deadlines so that we have the opportunity to receive the first unit within eight years, up to eight years,“ he said.
Satkaliyev noted that the average global construction time is 10-12 years.
Last year, Kazakhstan held a referendum that raised the issue of building the first nuclear power plant. The majority of voters supported the construction of such a plant. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev earlier ordered the construction of the plant to be accelerated.
They plan to build nuclear power plants with the participation of suppliers from Russia, China, South Korea or France. The authorities are also considering the possibility of creating a consortium to build a nuclear power plant.