BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 12. Kazakhstan plans to develop the village of Ulken into a modern settlement with housing and social infrastructure for up to 33,000 residents as part of the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP), Chairman of the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency Almassadam Satkaliyev said, according to the agency.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Kazakh specialists working at the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Türkiye.
Satkaliyev said that the nuclear workers' town will be integrated into the existing village. Plans include the construction of residential buildings, schools, healthcare facilities, training and retraining centers, as well as the development of hotels, services and businesses.
"This will not be a separate workers' settlement. It will be the development of Ulken with all the related infrastructure necessary for living," he said.
The planning process will also take into account the future use of facilities built to support NPP construction. Once construction is completed, these facilities could be repurposed to serve the needs of the village and support business development.
Particular attention will be paid to the introduction of modern digital solutions. According to the agency's head, Ulken is intended to become one of the most advanced settlements on the coast of Lake Balkhash. Its natural landscape and location also offer opportunities for recreation and tourism.
A training center is also planned to prepare, retrain, and improve the qualifications of future NPP employees.
Satkaliyev noted that up to 15,000 workers would be required at the peak of construction of one nuclear power plant. These would include civil engineers, welders, installers, electricians, and specialists in automation and quality control.
The subsequent operation of the plant would require around 2,000 employees, including nuclear engineers, reactor operators, nuclear and radiation safety specialists, and experts in equipment maintenance and repair.
Personnel training is expected to involve cooperation with specialized educational institutions in Kazakhstan, as well as relevant educational organizations in China and Russia.
Moreover, it was also noted that nuclear industry employees could receive training through the Bolashak international scholarship program, which provides special quotas for master's and doctoral degree programs and internships at leading foreign organizations in the nuclear industry.
Satkaliyev emphasised that the development of Ulken would create new employment and career opportunities for young people. He also assured that specialists would be provided with housing.
A national referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan was held on October 6, 2024. According to the results, 71.12% of citizens who took part in the vote supported the construction.
Zhambyl district of the Almaty region was designated as the site for Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant, Balkhash. The plant will be built by Russia’s Rosatom. The second nuclear power plant, Moiynkum, is also planned to be located near Lake Balkhash.
