Kazakhstan's Atomic Energy Agency head Almasadam Satkaliyev said Russia will provide an intergovernmental loan covering about 85% of the $15 billion cost of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant, Kursiv reported on April 21.

The planned plant near Lake Balkhash would use two VVER-1200 reactors and is expected to come online in the mid-2030s. Kazakhstan lacks domestic uranium conversion and enrichment capacity and may face declining uranium output after 2035, while also planning additional nuclear projects with other partners, including China.