China leads as top candidate for Kazakhstan’s second NPP - agencyKazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency has identified China’s China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) as the most prepared partner for constructing the country’s second nuclear power plant (NPP)."China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is among the potential partners for the construction of Kazakhstan’s second nuclear power plant. A final decision will be made after a thorough review of all necessary details. Notably, China currently demonstrates the highest readiness level for this cooperation, and relevant documents are already being drafted," the agency said in an official statement released on Saturday.Kazakhstan is exploring construction of multiple nuclear power plants, the country's atomic energy agency said."The first facility will be built by an international consortium led by Russia's state nuclear company Rosatom, which was selected through an open competitive bidding process using evaluation methods developed by French engineering firm Assystem," according to the agency. "For additional plants, all possible options - including technologies, financing terms and other factors - remain under evaluation."The announcement comes after Kazakhstan's Atomic Energy Agency named Ru‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‍‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​ssia's Rosatom as the lead consortium partner for the country's first nuclear plant on Saturday. Rosatom secured the position ahead of CNNC, which ranked second in the vendor selection process, as well as France's Electricite de France and South Korea's Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, which tied for third.Kazakhstan has established an intergovernmental commission to oversee nuclear plant construction, with plans to form an international consortium for the projects. Agreements and contracts for the first plant are expected to be finalized by November 2025.Approved in a 2024 national referendum, the first nuclear plant will be built in the Zhambyl district of the Almaty region. The government is considering the city of Kurchatov in the Abai region as the potential site for the second facility.While initial plans targeted a 2035 completion for the first plant, Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry has since requested vendors to accelerate construction, aiming to operationalize the first reactor within eight years. The projects are estimated to cost $10-12 billion, with each reactor unit averaging $5 billion. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX