The Central Referendum Commission announced the preliminary results of the vote, according to which more than 71% of Kazakhs voted for the construction of nuclear power plant (NPP). Earlier, the head of state Kasim-Jomart Tokayev said that an international consortium for the construction of nuclear power plants should work in Kazakhstan, as this would bring together leading world companies with advanced technologies. Timur Zhantikin, general director of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP, shared his opinion on the advantages of an international consortium in the construction of a nuclear power plant in an interview with an analytical observer from the Kazinform agency.
Zhantikin, notes that currently almost all projects for the construction of nuclear power plants in the world are implemented in cooperation with several companies. As a rule, the project is implemented by a company developing a nuclear island (nuclear reactor), which attracts other enterprises that supply energy equipment, electronics, electrical equipment, etc. The idea is this: a leading construction company attracts other companies with the same goal to create a nuclear power plant project. The Kazakhstan project will have a similar approach.
„Most of these projects are usually carried out by one company, which is the main contractor. They then attract other companies to carry out various activities. For example, Akkuyu NPP under construction on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. There, the Rosatom corporation is responsible for the nuclear reactor (nuclear island) and all the equipment around it. And French companies were brought in to supply electrical equipment - turbines, generators and control electronics were supplied by the German company Siemens AG. In addition, there were other components purchased from various companies. And all this is collected for one leading company in the construction of Turkish nuclear power plants – Akkuyu Nuclear“, Zhantikin said.
There are many examples in nuclear power using an international consortium, with the exception of domestic projects in some countries (USA, China). According to the expert, Kazakhs are well aware of the “Akkuyu“ in Turkey. Similarly, stations of the same type are being built in Egypt, Bangladesh, India and Hungary. In addition, more than 1,000 Kazakhs are currently working on the project to build the Turkish nuclear power plant “Akkuyu“.
Zhantikin added that to join efforts in Kazakhstan, the best companies that already have experience in building nuclear power plants should be attracted.
„These are the four companies we chose: Korean, Chinese, Russian and French. They all have international experience in an international consortium. Therefore, the best equipment suppliers will be attracted for the construction of the NPP in Kazakhstan, he added.
The speaker also notes the importance of the Kazakh localization of the project. That is, the majority of the work on the construction of the NPP will be carried out by Kazakh companies.
„During the construction of the nuclear power plant, local companies that have passed special certification will participate in the work. It is also possible to use Kazakh equipment, for which an analysis of industrial production will be made, the products of which can be used in the nuclear power plant. Usually, in the construction of nuclear power plants, the localization reaches 70%. For example, many local companies participated in the construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. And today they are already working for other countries in an international consortium”, emphasized the general director of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP.
According to him, the participation of local companies in the construction of a nuclear power plant is important for the accumulation of own experience, as well as for the preservation of the country's economy.