The Kazakh authorities have estimated the cost of the possible construction of the first nuclear power plant at $10-15 billion, Director General of Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants JSC Timur Zhantikin said, Report informs referring to TASS.

“Sources of financing are now being worked out. These are mainly international financial institutions. The project is still being considered as a commercial one, without government intervention,” he noted.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in a message to the people of the country on September 1, proposed putting the issue of building a nuclear power plant to a national referendum. In his opinion, it is necessary to continue public hearings and comprehensive broad discussion on this issue.

Earlier, the Kazakh Energy Ministry reported that, based on the results of research, the territory of Ulken village of Zhambyl district, Almaty region, was chosen as the most preferred area for the construction of a nuclear power plant. The authorities are now considering several potential suppliers of nuclear technology - the Chinese company CNNC, the South Korean KHNP, Rosatom and the French EDF.