Astana (TDI): Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced plans to establish two “science cities” in Almaty and Kurchatov to spearhead research and development in nuclear energy and nuclear medicine.
The initiative, unveiled at a meeting of the National Council on Science and Technology, will consolidate scientific, educational, and industrial infrastructure in areas linked to upcoming nuclear power projects.
In Almaty, the Institute of Nuclear Physics will anchor a new hub featuring a multipurpose reactor. A second center will be developed in Kurchatov, Abai region, in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences, the National Nuclear Center, and regional authorities.
The announcement follows a 2024 referendum in which Kazakhstani voters backed the construction of a nuclear power plant. Earlier this year, the government chose Russia’s Rosatom to build the first facility in Almaty Region. Two additional plants are planned with the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), though their sites have yet to be confirmed.
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Tokayev underscored the broader applications of nuclear technology, particularly in healthcare. He urged the development of locally produced radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine centers to improve cancer and cardiovascular treatment.
To address a shortage of nuclear specialists, 20 annual scholarships under the Bolashak program will be reserved for nuclear studies. Currently, around 70 percent of Bolashak scholarships support engineering and technical fields.
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Kazakhstan holds about 40 percent of the world’s uranium reserves. Tokayev said a domestic nuclear industry would enable the country to complete the nuclear fuel cycle and reduce dependence on uranium exports. A fuel assembly plant was launched in 2021, and nuclear energy is expected to become a self-sustaining sector of the national economy once plants come online.
In March, the government established a Nuclear Energy Agency to oversee development of the sector.
