Russia and Kazakhstan have signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant with two VVER-1200 reactors. The parties reported the completion of over 90% of engineering surveys at the site. Additionally, Kazakhstan hosted the national stage of the Rosatom-supported Global HackAtom engineering hackathon, where 80 students developed digital solutions for managing the future plant.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to the country. The document defines the scope of the plant’s construction project, which involves building two Russian-designed power units with VVER-1200 reactors in accordance with Russian best practices. The agreement covers key areas of cooperation throughout the nuclear plant’s service life, including maintenance services and fuel supplies.
“We highly value our long-standing partnership with Kazakhstan and are convinced that Russian nuclear technologies will lay a strong foundation for the country’s energy independence and sustainable development. Today, our collaboration is scaling to new heights, unlocking new opportunities for economic and technological growth,” said Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev.
The agreement was signed in Kazakhstan by Alexey Likhachev and Almasadam Satkaliyev, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Later, the executives met again in Moscow during the Kazakh delegation’s visit to Russia.
The parties discussed a wide range of matters regarding nuclear cooperation and praised the work that followed the ceremony marking the start of construction at the Balkhash NPP.
“Site surveys are in full swing. Our entire workplan is perfectly on track,” Alexey Likhachev pointed out.
To date, over 90% of field engineering surveys have been completed; this will help determine the exact location of the plant while taking all safety requirements into account. The parties also discussed the development of the project’s contractual and legal framework and agreed to continue their contacts in the near future.
Concurrently, Kazakhstan hosted the national stage of the Global HackAtom international student championship with Rosatom’s support. This is an engineering hackathon that brings together young nuclear professionals from various countries. The event was attended by 80 students from Kazakh universities.
Over two days, 16 student teams developed an interactive application for effectively managing the construction phase of the nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. On the first day, representatives from Rosatom’s flagship universities delivered lectures on nuclear and digital technologies for plant lifecycle management. On the second day, the teams defended their projects before an expert jury.
“Rosatom pays special attention to unlocking the potential of young people and raising the prestige of engineering professions. Educational and outreach projects such as Global HackAtom help shape a new generation of nuclear industry professionals, including in partner countries,” emphasized Ruslan Nuralin, Deputy Director General at Rosatom Central Asia.
The winner was the BioTeam from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. They will represent Kazakhstan in the Global HackAtom Final, which will be held in September 2026 as part of the International Youth Festival.
Photo by: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Rosatom State Corporation
