Kazakh media reports say the United States has shown interest in participating in construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.
InformBuro.kz reported yesterday that Senior Vice President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Khush Choksy, responding to journalists' questions in Almaty during a business delegation visit to Kazakhstan, has expressed the United States' interest in participating in the construction of a nuclear power plant in the country.
"The U.S. has the best technologies when it comes to nuclear power plants, and we hope that an open tender will be held, allowing American companies to participate as well," Choksy was cited as saying.
Recall, Kazakhstan on October 6 voted in favor of construction of nuclear power plant. The government reportedly designated an area near the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake Balkhash, in the southeast of the country as the site to build the plant.
It is to be noted that despite its sizeable natural gas reserves, Kazakhstan relies mostly on coal-powered plants for its electricity, supplemented by some hydroelectric plants and the growing renewable energy sector.
According to some sources, Kazakhstan already imports electricity, mostly from Russia, as its facilities, many of which are old, struggle to meet domestic demand. And coal is regarded as the most polluting
