Kazakhstan: Popular Referendum on NPP Construction

Voters in Kazakhstan, the largest of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, have been called to the polls to express their views on the construction of a nuclear power plant in the country. At 18:00 local time, turnout for the referendum exceeded 61.6%, allowing the Central Commission to declare the voting “completed and valid.”

To monitor the correctness of voting, the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan accredited 177 international observers, who, among others, represent the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Organization of Turkish States (OTS), and the Conference on Trust and Measurement in Asia (CICA). As stated by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Roman Vasilenko, during the briefing with foreign journalists, “about 30 representatives of the central electoral bodies of 15 countries and 47 representatives of the diplomatic corps in Kazakhstan were also accredited. The Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accredited more than 200 foreign journalists to cover the national referendum.”

As Kazakhstan’s President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev recently stated, the referendum “represents another manifestation of broad national dialog and a vivid example of the concept of a state listening to the voice of its people.” According to Vasilenko, “the government of Kazakhstan believes that such an important decision should be made by our people themselves, reflecting their will and priorities. By involving the public in these important decisions, we strengthen our commitment to transparent, collaborative, and inclusive decision-making. In essence, we are shaping a new socio-political culture and setting new standards for key state decision-making as we build a fair and equitable Kazakhstan.”

The results of the vote will be announced on Monday morning, but according to the results of opinion polls and exit polls, the absolute majority of voters, i.e. 70%, intend to vote in favor of building a modern and safe nuclear power plant. If a radical decision is made, the power plant will be built near the village of Ulken, not far from Lake Balkhash. The site selection has already been approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). President Tokayev said that the construction of the power plant will be entrusted to an international consortium that currently includes China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), Russia’s Rosatom, South Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and France’s Electricité de France (EDF).

The NPP construction should be completed by 2035, and the amount of investment in such an ambitious project is estimated at 10 to 12 billion dollars. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan has attracted a total of $441 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI). In the newest period, i.e. since 2005, the top ten largest investor countries in Kazakhstan include the Netherlands, the USA, Switzerland, China, Russia, France, Great Britain, Belgium, South Korea, and Japan. “In 2023,” Vasilenko emphasized, “gross inflows reached $23.4 billion, with another $9.8 billion in the first half of 2024. This solid investment story is further supported by our Born Brave advertising campaign, which demonstrates the dynamism and progressive development of Kazakhstan, a sensible approach to economic growth, social progress, and innovation.” In this context, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan finally confirmed that the country invites “global investors, companies, and innovators to explore the many opportunities that Kazakhstan has to offer” and “to be bold and contribute to a shared vision of sustainable progress.”