FS DEVELOPMENT IN SUBSTANTIATION OF NNP CONSTRUCTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

30 Projects to the 30th Anniversary of NNC RK!

Project # 26. 2019–2022. FS DEVELOPMENT IN SUBSTANTIATION OF NNP CONSTRUCTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

By the order of the Head of the State, K.K. Tokayev in 2022 the modeling has been made for energy balance development till 2035 with calculation of projected values of electricity generation and consumption, the required amount and structure of new generating capacity input.

The need to introduce basic generation for the stable operation of the country’s energy system, low installed capacity utilization rate and instability of RES generation, the global carbon neutrality agenda and Kazakhstan’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions promote the necessity to develop a safe nuclear power industry in Kazakhstan. In this regard, the energy balance, in addition to increasing the capacity of conventional and renewable energy sources, the scenario to commission generation from NPP is considered.

In 2000s Kazakhstan started to consider the issue on NPP construction as part of feasibility study.

“Marketing feasibility section for NPP construction in the Republic of Kazakhstan” was developed within 2018–2019 with the participation of specialists from the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The work was carried out jointly with the Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear Technologies Safety and “Energy System Researches” LLP. The purpose of the marketing section was to determine conditions when NPP construction at the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan is possible with determining the installed capacity, units’ capacity, location area and selection of reactor technology.

Ulken settlement of Zhambyl district, Almaty region and Kurchatov town in East-Kazakhstan region were considered as potential NPP sites.

Studies have been conducted for the considered areas of NPP location, covering different aspects of nuclear safety, including natural (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods) and anthropogenic (industrial-hazardous objects, air falls) impacts, as well as environmental impact assessment has also been conducted.

Aspects of general safety were analyzed in terms of environmental impact (nature protection, cultural heritage) and impact on socio-economic conditions (transport infrastructure, cooling water, distance to water intake from the source, limitation on the temperature of water, discharged into the reservoir, providing emergency heat removal, power lines).

With the purpose to identify economic performance of nuclear power plant, comparative studies have been carried out for the economic efficiency of different power sources based on analysis of direct and indirect capital investments, fuel costs, operating costs and maintenance costs. One of the criteria in electric power sources comparison was the level of environmental impact. A comparative assessment for NPP environmental safety and alternative sources was made according to the level of atmospheric emissions during different fuel cycles, including stages of electricity generation.

The evaluation of reactor designs, that could be used in Kazakhstan, was based on the developed set of 20 different criteria, considering international requirements for NPP safety, technical, economic and financial indicators, and NPP specifications. One of the criteria was reference availability for the technology in question. Issues associated with technologies exchange, fuel production organization at RK territory, RW and SNF management, personnel training as well as possible sources and funding schemes, localization percentage in the process of NPP construction were considered as additional criteria during nuclear technologies assessment. The criteria developed were evaluated by both quantitative and qualitative factors.

The preferred reactor type was water reactor of Generation III and III+ of capacity from 600 to 1,200 mW.

The performed work resulted in submission of FS marketing section materials to the Ministry of Energy of RK for further decision-making on NPP construction.

It should be noted, that at the end of 2021, following the results of the RK President’s message which announced the comprehensive study of possibilities to introduce nuclear power in Kazakhstan, the work was initiated on updating the marketing section of FS in terms of obtain