Establishing and development of nuclear power production in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Full text: As it was stressed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbaev in his address to people of Kazakhstan on February 28 2007, among the most important directions of domestic and foreign policy there is the need in development of power production and creation of conditions for nuclear power production. Intensive development of new and revived sectors such as machine-building, oil chemistry, nuclear, space, information, nano- and bio-technologies would inevitably require growth in power generation. That is why development of power production becomes a priority task. Growth of demand in power consumption worldwide, rise in prices for oil and natural gas, toughening of environmental regulations for utilization of organic fuel, concerns regarding energy supply security in many countries stipulate growth of interest to nuclear power production. International experience in power production shows the advantages and need in development of nuclear power production. In energy production, people currently use organic fuel, hydropower and alternative energy source; current share of nuclear production in the total rate of energy generation comprises about 17%. The Republic has considerable grounds for development of nuclear power production - well-developed uranium mining and processing National Company 'KazAtomProm' and a State Enterprise 'National Nuclear Center'. Creation of nuclear power production sector and development of nuclear power production in the country would help solving a set of inter-related problems aimed to satisfaction of demand in energy production by diversification of energy supply sources. This, in turn, would contribute to effective and balanced utilization of available mineral resources, improve export capacities of the country, assure environmental security at energy production; it would also preserve and develop science and technology in the country in the field of nuclear power production and nuclear industry. Objective and systematic development of nuclear power sector would be based on the State program that is currently under development; the main principles of the program are: - maximal utilization of national scientific and technological potential for the development of nuclear power production; -international cooperation in designing and construction of reactors and nuclear power facilities; safety substantiation studies; - development of closed fuel cycle systems integration of departmental and branch programs related to development and utilization of nuclear technologies