Kazakhstan yesterday voted in a referendum on whether to build its first nuclear power plant, and an exit poll showed voters backed the idea promoted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's cabinet as a way to phase out polluting coal plants.
The plan has reportedly faced public criticism due to concerns about related hazards, the Soviet nuclear testing legacy, and fears that Russia will be involved in the project.
The Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission said almost 64% of registered voters cast their ballots by 8 pm local time when the polling stations closed, the Central Election Commission said, making the vote valid.
Kazakh media reports say that according to the exit poll results announced at midnight, 284,000 voters showed 69.8% of them voted in favor of the nuclear power plant construction.
The Astana Times says around 30.2 percent of people voted against the construction.
The voter turnout was reportedly declared at 67.3 percent.
It is reported that 283,519 citizens were surveyed at 189 polling stations, with a margin of error of ± 1.5%.
On October 6, polls were reportedly conducted at 10,323 polling stations, including 74 abroad in 59 countries. Polling stations were open from 7 am until 8 pm without breaks.
Approximately 230 public associations in Kazakhstan reportedly served as observers, with international observers also monitoring the transparency of the voting process.
In the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake Balkhash, in the southeast of the country, which the country’s government has designated as the site to build the plant, some locals hoped the project would bring jobs. Others expressed concern about the impact on the quality of the lake water.
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 energy source.
