Kazakhstan faces up to the legacy of Soviet weapons testing in a referendum on nuclear power

Date:

Share post:


MOSCOW — Polls are open in Kazakhstan Sunday for a landmark referendum on building the country’s first nuclear power plant, confronting the country’s painful legacy as a testing ground for Soviet nuclear weapons.

The proposal is backed by the government and the country’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who hopes to boost the country’s energy security.

The plant, which is slated to be built close to Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan’s southeast, would take pressure off the coal-powered power stations on which the country heavily relies.

Although the use of renewable energy is growing, supporters believe Kazakhstan’s position as one of the world’s largest uranium producers makes nuclear energy a logical choice.

However, the use of nuclear materials remains a controversial and often sensitive topic in Kazakhstan, which was used as a testing ground for the Soviet Union’s nuclear program.

The weapon tests made large swaths of land in the country’s northeastern Semei region uninhabitable, devastating the local environment and affecting the health of nearby residents. In total, 456 tests were carried out between 1949 and 1989 at the Semipalatinsk test site. It was officially closed in August 1991.

Critics have also drawn attention to the project’s high costs: The Kazakh government estimates that the nuclear power plant could cost up to $12 billion.

Some Kazakhs have sought to protest but have been impeded by authorities. Several anti-nuclear protesters were arrested across Kazakhstan Sunday, while other activists said that permission to hold anti-nuclear rallies on the day of the vote had also been denied by officials in six Kazakh cities.

There are also concerns that Russia’s state atomic agency, Rosatom, could be invited to take part in the plant’s construction at a time when an increasing number of Kazakhs wish to distance themselves from Moscow’s influence. Rosatom had previously been named by the government as one of four companies whose reactors could be used for the plant, as well as companies from China, South Korea and France.

Tokayev, who has maintained a delicate balancing act between Moscow and the West amid sanctions against Russia, has tried to allay such fears by suggesting that the plant could be built by a multinational team.

“The government must analyze and negotiate,” he told reporters after casting his referendum vote Sunday. “But my personal vision is that an international consortium of companies with the most advanced technology possible should work together in Kazakhstan.”

The result of the referendum is due to be announced on Monday.



Source link

Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes health, sport, tech, and more. Some of her favorite topics include the latest trends in fitness and wellness, the best ways to use technology to improve your life, and the latest developments in medical research.

Recent posts

Related articles

What's next for EVs under President Trump?

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order promising to eliminate what he incorrectly labels “the...

Rosy December for small business sales, but restaurants are left out

NEW YORK -- Small businesses had a merry December, as shoppers wrapped up their holiday shopping.That's according...

Global shares trade mixed in a muted reaction to the U.S. inauguration

TOKYO -- Global shares were mixed in a muted reaction Tuesday to the inauguration of U.S. President...

Sequel to Prince Harry's feud with British tabloids begins in high-stakes trial

LONDON -- The sequel to Prince Harry vs. the British tabloids begins Tuesday in a high-stakes pitting...

Dozens of firms pull ads from Japanese network over sex scandal linked to its staff and celebrity

TOKYO -- Dozens of major Japanese companies have pulled their commercials on Fuji Television amid allegations company...

Canada relieved Trump doesn’t impose tariffs on the major US trading partner on first day

TORONTO -- Canadian leaders expressed relief Monday that broad tariffs were not applied to Canadian products on...

Prada offers savage, instinctive menswear during Milan Fashion Week

MILAN -- MILAN (AP) — Miuccia Prada and her co-creative director Raf Simons described the latest Prada...

Stock market today: Asian shares track Wall St's strong finish ahead of Trump's inauguration

BANGKOK -- Asian shares advanced early Monday after U.S. stock indexes rallied to close out their best...