Kazakhstan plans to allocate $1.25 million to finance a feasibility study for the construction of a nuclear power plant to replace the republic's old Soviet-designed nuclear facility, the energy minister said Monday.

Baktykozha Izmukhambetov said the government intends to build a nuclear power plant with a capacity of 60 megawatts in Aktau, in western Kazakhstan, on the site of a fast neutron reactor decommissioned under control of the UN nuclear watchdog several years ago.

"We plan to set aside 152 million tenges ($1.25 million) for a nuclear power plant feasibility study during the 2007 budget review," the minister said.

SOURCE: RIA Novosti

DATE: May 17, 2007

Topics: NPP, Asia, Kazakhstan