The first nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan will be named “Balkhash”, the press service of the republic’s atomic energy agency reported.
“According to the results of the final meeting of the Competition Commission, the name ”Balkash” nuclear power plant was recognized as the winner, which received the largest number of proposals from citizens. The chosen name also corresponds to the international practice of naming nuclear power plants by geographical feature,” the report on the results of the nationwide contest for the best name of the nuclear power plant reads.
The contest committee also determined the name in Russian and English: “Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant” and Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant.
The first NPP, which will be located near Lake Balkhash, will be built by Rosatom. The Russian company has signed a roadmap with Kazakhstan for the construction of two VVER-1200 nuclear power units. The construction of the plant will take approximately 11 years and may be completed in 2035-2036. The issue of attracting state export financing at the expense of the Russian Federation is being studied for the construction of the plant.
Research work near the village of Ulken on Balkhash started on August 8. Here, as part of preliminary surveys, Rosatom’s specialists will explore at least three sites in Zhambyl district, for which they will drill 50 wells with depths ranging from 30 to 120 meters. Based on the hydrogeological features of the site, seismic stability parameters and others, a decision will be made on the exact location of the NPP.
The government said that the second and third nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan could be built by China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
