Russia’s Rosatom cites financing hurdles and site assessment needs for postponing construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant.
Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company, has requested an additional year to begin construction of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant at Lake Balkhash. The delay stems from financing challenges and the need for extended site observation to complete required reports, according to officials involved in the project.
Kazakh authorities previously selected the Lake Balkhash site after extensive studies. The project was initially expected to advance sooner, but Rosatom’s chief, Alexei Likhachev, informed Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency head, Almassadam Satkaliyev, of the setback during a recent meeting in Moscow.
No immediate market reaction was reported, though the delay may impact regional energy infrastructure timelines and Russia-Kazakhstan bilateral agreements on energy cooperation.