Almasadam Satkaliyev, chair of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, took part in the “Атомная энергетика для людей и планеты” plenary session at the “Мировые атомные дни” conference in Antalya.
In his remarks, he outlined Kazakhstan’s plans for developing its nuclear industry. He said the construction of three nuclear power plants is intended to meet the country’s growing electricity needs and form the basis for a full-fledged industrial and scientific nuclear cluster.
“Kazakhstan ranks second in the world in uranium reserves and accounts for about 40% of global uranium production. We view uranium not only as an export commodity, but also as a strategic resource for developing our own energy sector and economy,” Satkaliyev said.
He highlighted the importance of training qualified specialists and developing human capital. The agency head also said that establishing strategic uranium reserves for at least 100 years is important for the industry’s long-term development.
Alongside nuclear energy, Kazakhstan plans to expand the use of nuclear technologies in medicine, agriculture and other fields, develop its own technologies and strengthen cooperation with leading international partners.
Other participants in the plenary session included Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev, World Nuclear Association Director General Sama Bilbao y León, Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, BRICS Nuclear Energy Platform chief coordinator Elzy Pule, and Paks II Ltd. CEO and chairman of the board Attila Shagodi.
