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(Bloomberg) — Voters in Kazakhstan, the world’s largest uranium miner, backed the development of a nuclear energy plant in a referendum on Sunday.
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Kazakhstan’s central election fee mentioned on Monday that 71% of voters solid their ballots in favor of the federal government plan to construct a brand new reactor. Turnout was about 64%, effectively above the brink crucial for the outcome to be legitimate, the fee mentioned, citing preliminary calculations.
Central Asia’s largest oil producer hasn’t used nuclear era since 1999. The nation has been grappling with an influence scarcity partly as a result of progress within the energy-intensive crypto business and emergency shutdowns at previous vegetation. The nation is in search of to considerably broaden energy era by 2035, with nuclear sources as a part of the combination, in accordance with the Power Ministry. The ministry mentioned an preliminary estimate for the price of the nuclear energy plant was about $10 billion-$12 billion.
Kazakhstan’s backing for atomic power underscores rising international curiosity in steady, round the clock nuclear energy as international locations try to satisfy quickly rising power calls for whereas additionally lowering dependence on fossil fuels to slash emissions.
China Nationwide Nuclear Corp, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Energy Co., Russia’s Rosatom Corp and Electricite de France SA had been on an inventory of doable builders, in accordance with a presentation from the Power Ministry.
“My private opinion is that a world consortium, consisting of worldwide corporations with probably the most superior applied sciences, ought to work in Kazakhstan,” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev mentioned after he solid his vote on Sunday, in accordance with his press workplace.
The nation had a 1.5 gigawatt energy deficit final fall and winter, in accordance with the Power Ministry. Kazakhstan covers the shortfall by shopping for electrical energy from Russia.
(Updates with extra context in remaining paragraph.)
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