The project to build Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant has officially launched.

Construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant officially commenced near the village of Ulken in the Almaty region, Kazinform reports.

The event was attended by the head of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Atomic Energy, Almasadam Satkaliyev, the Director General of the State Corporation Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, and other officials.

In his speech, Almasadam Satkaliyev noted that the current ceremony symbolizes the start of engineering and survey work—a key stage in preparing for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. The results of this stage determine not only the selection of a specific site and plant configuration, but also its safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

According to him, the nuclear power plant construction project is being implemented with broad public support. Last year, more than 70% of the country's population supported the initiative in a national referendum. The example of the village of Ulken is particularly telling: 97% of residents participated in the vote, of which approximately 90% voted "yes," giving the project a strong public mandate.

"The total investment in the project will be approximately $14-15 billion," Satkaliev said. "An additional $1 billion will be allocated to the construction of social facilities and modern infrastructure."

He emphasized that the project places special emphasis on the active participation of Kazakhstani enterprises and research organizations. This will help elevate local production to a new level, create thousands of new jobs, and develop nuclear science to international standards.

Satkaliev also noted that the nuclear power plant is a strategic project that will become a key driver of the development of the nuclear industry, industrial and innovative progress, and the country's long-term economic growth.

During the ceremony, drilling operations were also launched to collect soil samples. A capsule containing the samples will be handed over to the Russian side for further research.

Specialized equipment is already at the construction site, and a model of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant has been installed. According to the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the future Kazakh plant will be built similarly to this nuclear power plant. The model depicts power unit No. 6, the world's first Generation III+ power unit.

Completion of construction of the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan is planned for 2035–2036.