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Belarus ready to share NPP construction experience with Kazakhstan

28 August 2015 13:24 (UTC+04:00)
Belarus ready to share NPP construction experience with Kazakhstan

By Aynur Karimova

Belarus is ready to share its experience in the construction of a nuclear power plant with Kazakhstan, Belarusian Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk said.

He made the remark during a press conference on August 27 to discuss the safe development of nuclear power engineering and the non-proliferation regime as guarantees of the mankind’s future, Belta reported.

Mikhadyuk also noted that when Kazakhstan makes a decision to construct a NPP, Belarus will share its experience.

“I think thanks to this interaction we will enrich each other in terms of knowledge and the implementation of such large-scale projects,” he added.

Belarus is at the stage of practical implementation of the project on construction of a NPP.

“Today many countries are actively interested in our experience, because Rosatom, which is the general contractor [of the construction of the NPP], stressed the successful organization of works both at the stages of preparation and construction,” the deputy minister said.

In his remarks Kazakh Ambassador to Belarus Yergali Bulegenov noted that Kazakhstan had been considering the idea of building a NPP for quite a long period of time.

“In 2014, Kazakh specialists visited the construction site of the Belarusian NPP,” he said.

Kazakhstan plans to start the construction of its first NPP in 2018, and the country is expected to generate nuclear power in 2023-2024.

Kazakhstan plans to build NPPs in its energy-deficient regions. The special commission created under a presidential decree has already made a decision on the locations of the power plants.

The town of Kurchatov in the East Kazakhstan province and the village of Ulken in the Almaty province were named the most suitable locations for building a NPP, according to the country’s Energy Ministry.

Kazakhstan has decided to build NPPs and develop domestic production of nuclear fuel for them based on the fact that the country is a world leader in uranium production.

The country produced 22,829 metric tons of uranium in 2014, maintaining its leading position as the largest uranium producer in the world. In 2013, the country produced 22,500 metric tons of uranium.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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