Konstantin Zaytsev, vice chairman of State Duma Energy Committee

– Kazakhstan is firmly resolved to become a serious player on the world nuclear market

On June 11 CEO of Areva (France) Anne Lauvergeon and President of Kazatomprom (Kazakhstan) Mukhtar Jakishev signed an agreement for establishment of a joint venture. The KATCO group, with 51% owned by Areva, 49% by Kazatomprom, will produce 4,000 tons of uranium a year until 2039 with the sales to be made entirely by Areva.

Kazakhstan is firmly resolved to become a serious player on the world market of nuclear technologies. One of the best examples is Russian-Kazakhstan relations in the field of uranium mining and enrichment.

In the near future world countries will significantly increase their electricity production by launching new nuclear reactors and Kazakhstan’s steps towards the European nuclear fuel market are quite far-seeing.

So, we have a unique situation: two technological cultures have met in the territory of Kazakhstan. Russian-Kazakh joint ventures mine and process uranium for nuclear fuel, while French-Kazakh JV is planning to produce fuel for reactors of western design. Russia, as one of the leaders of the nuclear market, should actively work with its partners. Such a technological chain may benefit all the parties: Kazakhstan will get modern technologies while Russia will get access to the market of western fuel for western-type reactors.