Kazakhstan to hold nationwide referendum on nuclear power plant construction - President
«Nuclear energy development has turned into the economic and political issue of particular importance. On the one hand, being the world’s largest uranium producer, Kazakhstan needs to develop its own nuclear generation. Some experts stand for building NPP with small reactors. On the other hand, some people and experts express concerns over safety of NPPs,» the President noted.
According to him, it is quite natural with the consideration of the tragic heritage of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site.
«We need to continue public hearings and discussions on this issue. In 2019, in my election platform, I promised that the decisions regarding the most important strategic problems would be taken via referendums. The construction of the NPP or rejecting this idea is the issue of particular importance impacting the future of our country. Therefore, I propose to hold a nationwide referendum on this issue,» he stressed, adding that the dates of the referendum would be determined later.
