Kazakhstan's President has approved the nation's Nuclear Industry Development Strategy through 2050 (Kazakh Government press release, 17/04/2026).
The Strategy outlines that by 2050, at least three nuclear power plants will operate across Kazakhstan. The first nuclear power plant initiative is already underway, development of the second facility progresses (with its construction site approved in January 2026), and small modular reactor (SMR) technologies are under evaluation for the third nuclear project. Given anticipated rises in electricity demand, plans for a potential fourth plant are also being assessed.
Further opportunities to deploy nuclear power plants using small modular reactors (SMRs) in appropriate regions will be examined, contingent on their technical and financial viability. Replacing retired coal-fired power plants with equivalent nuclear capacity is likewise being evaluated.
The roadmap includes establishing nuclear clusters to advance nuclear energy and industry, nuclear science alongside applied nuclear technologies, waste management infrastructure and safety protocols, plus comprehensive training for skilled local professionals and job creation.
In 2025, Kazakhstan's Atomic Energy Agency revealed that Rosatom and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) would lead distinct consortia for nuclear power plant construction. Rosatom's project near Ulken in the Zhambyl district of the Almaty region (southwestern Kazakhstan) will incorporate two Russia’s VVER1200 Generation 3+ reactors (2.4 GW) and reach completion around 2035-2036. The second project would be built by CNNC, without further details
Kazakhstan aims to leverage its vast uranium reserves as the globe's top producer (23.3 kt in 2024 and 25.8 kt in 2025 according to preliminary estimates), accounting for over 40% of worldwide output. Production has grown nearly sixfold from 2005 (4.3 Mt), according to our data.
By 2050, the nation targets 50% of its electricity from "alternative (i.e nuclear) or renewable sources". In 2024, coal dominated the power mix at 61% (-20 pp since 2010), followed by gas at 23% (+14 pp), hydro at 10% (unchanged), and renewables (wind and solar) at 6% (+6 pp) (Enerdata Global Energy Research).
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