Kazakhstan Plans Uranium Fuel Reserve Ahead of 2027 Balkhash Nuclear Plant Build

Kazakhstan may create a strategic uranium reserve covering several decades ahead to fuel future national nuclear power plants, Khabar 24 reports, citing 24KZ. The President announced in his Address that construction of the Balkhash nuclear power plant will start in 2027.

At the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk, engineers are upgrading technologies for producing fuel assemblies for reactors and are ready to increase capacity if needed. The plant will launch a new line producing up to 400 tonnes of uranium fuel a year. Equipment for pressing uranium pellets will be installed with engineers from Belgium. Kazakhstan remains the largest uranium producer, accounting for up to 40% of global mining.

In 2025 Kazakhstan generated 123 billion kWh of electricity but consumed 1.5 billion kWh more than it produced. Training for the nuclear sector is being accelerated, and by 2029 the government aims to supply 100% of the country with electricity and build a 20% reserve of generating capacity.