From time to time, the topic of the construction of a nuclear power plant is actively discussed in Kazakh society. There are weighty arguments both for and against. However, according to experts, it is possible to achieve the goals of sustainable development and transition to carbon-free green economy only with the help of reliable basic energy of the country. Why does our country need a nuclear power plant, what other steps should be taken to ensure a painless transition to carbon neutrality? Of this and many other things – in the conversation of our correspondent with the Director General of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP Timur Zhantikin.

 – Timur Miftakhovich, the issue of the construction of nuclear power plant has been raised independently in society for the last three decades. There are two opinions here. The first group of citizens of our country, remembering the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, at Fukushima, are categorically against the construction of nuclear power plant. The second group, which probably has more energy specialists, supports the construction of nuclear power plant. What group do you belong to and what arguments can be made in favor of the construction of nuclear power plant?

– As you correctly noted, the issue of construction of nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan has been raised for the third time. During this time, we have considered the possibility of building nuclear power plants in different regions of the country, stopped the world's first BN-350 fast neutron power reactor, which was operated in a trouble-free manner as part of Mangystau Nuclear Power Engineering Plant. The country came out on top in the world in uranium mining. New enterprises of the nuclear industry of the republic have been developed. For example, production of nuclear fuel was started in Ust-Kamenogorsk last year.

I am in the second group, because I am sure that achieving the goals of sustainable development and transition to carbon–free "green" economy is impossible without reliable basic energy of the country. Here we have a small choice – we have few hydro resources, traditional basic energy sources, such as coal, gas and oil, are not carbon-free. There remains the nuclear power industry, which, among other things, is a natural development of the chain of our nuclear fuel cycle enterprises.

Renewable energy has its niche in the energy system, but, as you know, it cannot guarantee uninterrupted energy. Let me remind you of the definition of energy security – the right amount of energy in the right place at the right time. This condition is fulfilled only by uninterrupted energy sources, such as nuclear ones, which provide energy 24/7.

 – In continuation of the previous question, we want to give the example of Germany. Relatively recently, the Germany announced about complete abandonment of coal-fired electricity generation by 2035-2038. Earlier, Germany also abandoned nuclear energy. In fact, this formed the global agenda for the energy transition towards the "greening" of energy. If advanced countries abandon nuclear energy, including for security reasons, what decisions should we make?

– Perhaps, the thesis of the refusal of advanced countries from nuclear energy is very stretched. Let's look at the distribution of the number of operating nuclear power units by country (according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Atomic Association), from which it is clear that the majority of nuclear power plants are concentrated in advanced countries that are not going to abandon them. Except for Germany. By the way, the rejection of nuclear energy has led to serious problems in the development of the German industry. The damage to the ecology of the country should also be mentioned: if we compare the amount of carbon emissions per 1 kWh of energy produced in Germany, which is 366 grams of CO2 with France, where this figure is 57 grams of CO2 then it is obvious that France's nuclear energy is much more environmentally friendly than Germany's non-atomic.

Thus, we can say that the global agenda for transition to "green" energy is formed taking into account the provision of reliable energy supply, as evidenced by the inclusion of nuclear energy in the European "green" taxonomy. Indeed, nuclear power plants are stable carbon-free energy sources that serve as the basis for the sustainable development of the country's economy.

According to the IAEA forecasts, by 2050, nuclear generation will double and reach 792 GW, which will account for 12% of the total global electricity generation. If you look at the distribution of nuclear power units under construction, you can see the shift of nuclear energy to Asia, as well as the emergence of new states developing their nuclear energy programs. Having a well-developed nuclear industry, experience in operating nuclear power plants, specialists of nuclear research centers and system of personnel training, Kazakhstan should definitely follow the path of efficient use of nuclear energy in its energy system.

– Nuclear specialists claim that today the technologies used at nuclear power plants provide the necessary level of safety. But at the same time, when you watch planes fall or man-made disasters occur, you involuntarily think that the human factor becomes their cause. If the issue of the construction of nuclear power plant develops, do we have specialists who could design, build and, more importantly, operate such energy facilities?

– Today Kazakhstan has sufficient human resources for operation of the future nuclear power plant. It should be taken into account that more than 20 thousand people are employed in the nuclear industry of Kazakhstan, including 15 thousand people of the main production staff. In addition, a large number of specialists work at the National Nuclear Center and the Institute of Nuclear Physics, where nuclear reactors have been successfully operated for decades, as well as world-class work in the field of ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants is carried out. The results of these works are taken into account in a number of innovative NPP projects in Japan, France and other countries with which our nuclear scientists cooperate.

If we talk about the training of qualified personnel for our nuclear industry, then we can cite data on the number of students trained in universities in Kazakhstan in the period from 2010 to the present – 2,193 bachelors, 909 masters and 135 doctors. Also in the framework of Bolashak program since 2010, 21 bachelors, 12 masters and one specialist have been trained in the specialties "Nuclear Industry", "Physics of atomic nucleus and particles", "Technical physics. Nuclear Power Plants and Installations", "Nuclear Engineering".

On the basis of RSE "National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan", an internship is organized annually for more than 120 students. There is training and information center, on the basis of which specialists in the field of radiation safety are trained. An extensive training program is being implemented at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty, where there is a Training Center on Nuclear Safety.

As is known, the operation of nuclear power plant with two nuclear power units requires about 2,000 people with different specialties, of which about 20% are nuclear. Special training of the plant's operating personnel begins immediately after the start of work on the construction of the NPP. This is a training and practical internship at the selected type of nuclear power plant reactors, which is carried out on the basis of vendor facilities.

That is, Kazakhstan today has the necessary human resources not only for the construction of a nuclear power plant, but also for its reliable and safe operation.

 – At the beginning of this year, the Strategy (Doctrine) of low-carbon development of Kazakhstan until 2060 was adopted. This document clearly defines the vision for the exit from coal generation and replacement with environmentally friendly energy sources. One of the models of the energy system to the document showed that nuclear energy will remain uncompetitive until 2060 in Kazakhstan, and the model does not offer it. Is it profitable to build a nuclear power plant in our country from a strategic point of view and from the point of view of economic costs? Shall we clear our expenses?

– The Strategy talks about the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the country's energy sector, as well as the significant potential for the development of renewable energy and nuclear energy. As document states, "the capacity structure will include nuclear power plants as a stable source of energy, therefore a long-term vision for the development of nuclear energy will be developed," and accordingly, there is no question of non-competitiveness of nuclear energy.

There are many models for development of the republic's energy system, and among them there are those that deny the possibility of developing nuclear energy in Kazakhstan. But this does not mean that they are absolutely correct, since there are many other, more realistic approaches to forecasting the development of the country's economy, taking into account the role of stable and reliable energy system that guarantees its sustainable development.

Your question perfectly reflects the place of nuclear energy in the country's long-term development - it is a strategic direction for development of carbon-free energy, supporting the republic's declared transition to "green" economy with the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2060.

The construction costs of nuclear power plants are relatively high, and this is largely due to effective safety systems, the cost of which reaches half of all costs and which guarantee a high level of safety of modern power reactors. But taking into account the low amount of operating costs and significant operational life – 60 years for the project with the possibility of extension to 100 years – the average present cost of generation at nuclear power plants is comparable and even lower than at traditional power plants. One can give an example of tariffs at Pakistan's nuclear power plants, where the price of electricity output is 2 cents per kWh on operated units and 6 cents per kWh on new recently launched nuclear power plant units in Karachi. These are tariffs, and the cost of generation, of course, is lower in order to ensure a positive economy of the enterprise.

 – An important issue in the framework of the possible construction of a nuclear power plant is the choice of technologies and partners for implementation of this project. Which countries today have advanced technologies to implement such a project in our country?

– In 2019, our company conducted a non-binding marketing procedure, during which technical and commercial proposals were received from key global suppliers of nuclear power plants – companies from China, South Korea, Russia, the USA and France. They submitted 13 different NPP projects for consideration. All the proposed reactors corresponded to the parameters of generations 3 and 3+ according to the IAEA classification, that is, they had increased safety and improved economic indicators.

There is no doubt that these countries are leaders in the field of nuclear energy. The final choice of supplier for the first Kazakhstan NPP will be made after a thorough study of the details of the proposed projects, which are discussed during our negotiations with four companies included in the "shortlist", compiled on the basis of specially developed criteria.

 – Two options are often discussed in society. The first is construction of one large nuclear power plant in the energy–deficient south of the country. The second is construction of several medium–sized nuclear power plants of 300-400 MW in different regions of the country. How do you see the architecture of nuclear power plant construction? What else needs to be done besides the construction of the NPP facility itself?

– So far, at the initial stage, we are considering the construction of the first nuclear power plant on the basis of tested reactors available on the market. Their power lies in the range of 1000-1400 MW. The construction of two–block station in the south of the country not only provides coverage for the projected shortage of base capacity, but also increases the stability of power system as a whole by unloading North-South transmission lines.

I will answer an urgent question about the location and future nuclear power plant. At the beginning of this October, the IAEA "Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED)" mission was conducted to assess the potential location of the first nuclear power plant in the village area proposed by us Ulken of Zhambyl district of Almaty region, including departure to the proposed sites. Based on the results of the mission, the conclusion of the IAEA experts is being prepared, which will be taken into account in our further work.

As for nuclear power plant projects based on small and medium-power reactors, we have two proposals from American companies for small modular reactors that fit well into the energy system of Kazakhstan. Unfortunately, there are no working prototypes of such reactors today. The first launches are expected by 2027-2028.

But we are considering the possibility of using such reactors in hybrid generation systems where nuclear power units are combined with RES. This makes it possible to dampen the negative technical and economic parameters of RES at the level of such an energy complex. We have built appropriate technical and economic models of hybrid generation energy complex, which have shown their viability. For example, the cost of generation is estimated at about 8 cents per kWh (with an honest calculation without preferential subsidization of RES). Also, such an energy complex is considered as a virtual power plant in a system with distributed generation, which is especially effective for Kazakhstan with a relatively small capacity and a large length of power grids.

Another project that is being prepared for consideration is related to the replacement of outgoing coal-fired power units with nuclear ones. The use of small modular reactors is also seen as optimal here. In this approach, as studies by American experts show, savings in construction costs can reach 15-20%, since part of the station's infrastructure is used. It should probably be recalled that a nuclear power plant is an ordinary power plant, only nuclear reactors work instead of coal boilers.

The key aspects of NPP construction project are, first of all, the choice of location, the choice of technology and vendor, the revision of regulatory legal acts related to the construction of nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan, the design of nuclear power plants, obtaining all necessary licenses and approvals from regulatory authorities, as well as maintaining compliance with all safety standards and environmental standards, construction itself, training of personnel, commissioning, integration into the energy system and much more. Road and other infrastructure, houses and apartments for workers and engineering staff will also be needed both during construction and for NPP workers during operation.

The development of nuclear energy requires the development of regulatory legal and technical base, the strengthening of state supervision and safety control bodies, and technical support organizations. The most important is development of conceptual and program documents for development of the country's energy system, which will adopt the terms and composition of energy sources for the medium and long term. It is necessary to understand how much and when nuclear generation will be needed. Or, perhaps, it should be excluded from consideration in the future – although this option, in my opinion, is very dangerous for the development of our country.

 – Another important issue is the impact of NPP construction on electricity tariffs. At one of the events, you provided figures on the cost of electricity generated at a nuclear power plant based on your calculations. Could you share your opinion on the impact of nuclear power on tariffs for end users?

– The cost of electricity for the end user will be formed on the basis of existing tariff setting mechanisms. The initial data for calculating the cost are related to the average cost of electricity generation at various stations of the country's energy system, including both existing traditional and new ones being developed, such as nuclear and renewable energy. I have already mentioned the actual tariffs for nuclear electricity in Pakistan. I can add that nuclear electricity in countries with developed nuclear power has turned out to be the cheapest and most stable in price, since the cost of fuel in operating costs is only about 7%. This means that in case of fluctuations in the cost of fuel on the market, the cost of generation changes slightly, unlike traditional energy sources.

 – Quite recently, in accordance with instruction of the President, discussions were held in the country on the need to adopt a separate legislative bill regulating alternative energy sources. This document implies support for alternative non-renewable energy sources, such as coalbed methane, metallurgical secondary gases, and hydrogen. In this list, the most "exotic" for us is hydrogen energy. What prospects do you see in the development of this direction in our country?

– Now interest in hydrogen energy has resumed in many countries. In Kazakhstan, this promising area is being dealt with at the National Nuclear Center, where in the early 2000s a joint project with Japanese specialists for the construction of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor was considered. The fact is that the production of hydrogen at such a reactor is quite efficient and relatively inexpensive.

The production of hydrogen at renewable energy plants is also very promising. However, in general, the development of hydrogen energy primarily requires the development and implementation of very large number of technologies for safe storage and use of this explosive gas (we can recall accidents involving the use of household gas and gas cylinder equipment).

 – Today, the world is dominated by trends aimed at decarbonizing the economy and "greening" the energy sector. More recently, we have heard arguments from representatives of the country's coal lobby that we have enough coal for 300 years, and our coal energy is the cheapest in the world. Nevertheless, RES are snaping on the heels of coal generation. In your opinion, will Kazakhstan be able to get off the "coal needle"?

– Until now, only coal could cover up to 80% of Kazakhstan's needs for stable electric energy, and we must pay tribute to it. But in the realities of our time, the vector of development of electric energy sources has shifted towards carbon-free, and financial and credit institutions are no longer investing in energy from fossil sources. We can say that renewable energy sources and, undoubtedly, nuclear power plants are promising for the development of the country's energy system. But it is impossible to discount coal-fired power in the medium term, it is impossible to replace it completely with "green" generation sources. Especially if we take into account the thermal power industry, where RES, for example, are useless.

When modeling the development of the energy system of Kazakhstan, apparently, it is not necessary to rely entirely on the approaches of the same European experts, since the climatic conditions, structure and features of the energy system of Kazakhstan are not at all identical to European ones. Therefore, the term "coal needle" is not quite correct. And the main question arises – where do we want to get off this "needle", in which energy sector, how will we ensure the sustainable development of the country's economy, its competitiveness on the world stage?

I would like to add that we should not forget about the relationship of Kazakhstan's energy with the energy system of the region. When developing strategies and programs for the development of the republic's energy sector, it is absolutely necessary to take this factor into account.