11:45, 29 April 2009 | GMT +5
Kazakhstan important uranium source for Chinese nuclear power stations
ALMATY. April 29. KAZINFORM /Serik Koibagarov/ Heads of the nuclear bodies of Kazakhstan and China has taken part in the opening ceremony of Irkol uranium mine; Kazinform reports.

The Kazakh side was represented by Chairman of the Committee for Nuclear Energy of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Timur Zhantikin, President of the National Atomic Company Kazatomprom JSC Mukhtar Dzhakishev, managers of Semizbai-U LLP, representatives of the local executive power and community. The Chinese party included Director of China?s National Energy Administration Zhang Gobao, CGNPC Chairman Qian Zhimin, employees of the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan.
Stating a high level of the Kazakh-Chinese relations, Zhang Gobao congratulated the Irkol staff. He told about of the efforts of his country?s administration on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the construction of a big number of nuclear power stations. In his opinion, dynamical development of the Chinese atomic energy will promote further development of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. ?Kazakhstan is an important uranium source for the nuclear power stations of China which ranks first in the global energy production and second in uranium consumption?, Zhang Gobao emphasized.
CGNPC Chairman Qian Zhimin, in his turn, noted that his company is the largest one by the number of nuclear power plants built and will be the biggest uranium consumer. He expressed gratitude to the Kazakh and Chinese Governments for assistance in cooperation between the atomic companies of the two countries.
Noting that the Irkol mine was built within a record-breaking term, T.Zhantikin said it was the first step in promotion of cooperation between the Kazakh and Chinese atomic companies. He also spoke for expanding the cooperation in the sphere of atomic energy consumption for peaceful purposes.