Country nuclear fuel cycle profile: Kazakhstan

The BN-350, a 70 MW(e) fast neutron liquid metal cooled reactor, which had been the only nuclear unit in operation in Kazakhstan (at Aktau), was shut down in 1999. The reactor had started operation in 1973. Prior to its closure, nuclear generation had accounted for 0.6% of the country's total electricity production. Plans to construct a new nuclear power plant are currently being evaluated. The entire current uranium production capability is associated with seven production centres (Centralnoye, Stepnoye, No. 6, Akdala, KATKO, Inkai and KazSubton), which have an aggregate production capacity of 5950 t U/a. The UST-Kamenogorsk fuel fabrication plant (powder and pellets) is in operation and has a capacity of 2000 t HM/a, supplying both WWER and RBMK reactors. The manufactured pellets are exported to the Russian Federation. Formerly, spent fuel was routinely sent back to the Mayak facility (RT-1) in the Russian Federation for reprocessing without high level waste needing to be returned. At present, spent fuel is stored in the AR pool