"We have an experience of NPP construction. We think that we'll construct it first on the west of Kazakhstan, because the price for gas is high and it is more correct to sell gas abroad" - he said.
Idea construction of a new NPP to be replaced experimental reactor BN-350 in Actau was arisen lately, a concept of nuclear power development in Kazakhstan was discussed by Supreme Council delegates at the beginning of 1995. But the plans finally defined only on October 17, 2006 at the meeting chaired by premier-minister of Kazakhstan Danil Akhmetov. At this meeting a foundation of Russian-Kazakhstanian joint venture for enrichment of uranium in Angarsk and a project of reactor construction were considered.
In 1997 Russian minister of education and science Vladimir Shkolnik proposed first the project for construction NPP in 300 km from Alma-Ata on the bank of the Balkhash Lake. It was supposed to build this NPP with three VVER-640 reactors in 2005. The development work was carried out closely with Russian NII "Atomproekt" (St Petersburg). However, there has been opposition among ecologists and population to idea of NPP construction on the bank of the Balkhash Lake - the unique natural system. And on September 26, Kazakhstan government rejected plans to build the proposed Balkhash NPP.
Actau was chosen as the site for construction of a new NPP because of availability of necessary infrastructure here and shortage of electric power in the western parts of the country.
JSC KEGOG president, Kanat Bozumbaev declared that a preliminary accord was reached about construction of NPP at the site of BN-350 reactor (Mangistau region).
New NPP in Actau will consist of three units of VBER-250 type reactor designed by OKBM (Afrikantov Experimental Machine Building Design Bureau, Russia) using technologies developed for nuclear submarines. OKBM developed an idea of using nuclear submarine reactors for electricity and heat supply of regional centers like Bryansk, Arkhangelsk, and Voronezh. But this technology wasn't used in Russia since there is no enough financing.
Total power of the proposed NPP will be 870 MW (el.) and it will generate 6,43 billion kW*hour that equal to amount generated by all power plants of the western Kazakhstan.
Russia became the partner of Kazakhstan in development of NPP project and its construction in Kazakhstan at once. On August, 2006 joint venture of "NAK Kazatomprom" (has 50% share) and JCK Atomstroyexport (50% share) was established for completion of developing project documentation and feasibility study.
According to NAK Kazatomprom director, Mukhtar Jakiev, Kazakhstan plans to invest the construction of NPP, but doesn't exclude a possibility of involving other investors.
Active cooperation was supported at the highest level. Russian president Vladimir Putin said at negotiation with Kazakhstanian president Nursultan Nazarbaev: "A foundation of the joint venture for development of innovation projects of small and medium power reactors is one more advanced line of cooperation. Industrial implementation of these rectors can be realized at the site of nuclear power complex in Kazakhstan".
According to Nazarbaev, Actau NPP should solve two large problem" to improve electricity and heat supply of Kazakhstan regions having shortage of energy and to change energy balance of the country.
SOURCE: AtomInfo.Ru
DATE: July 12, 2007
Topics: NPP, Asia, Kazakhstan