On September 7, a meeting of energy industry experts with representatives of political parties, public councils, and youth organizations was held at the Pavlodar regional branch of the "AMANAT" party. The key topic of discussion was the prospects for the development of nuclear energy in Kazakhstan.
Olzhas Talipov, PhD, professor, and dean of the Faculty of Energy, emphasized the need to introduce new energy capacities:
By 2035, 26.5 GW of new electricity generation will be introduced. Currently, Kazakhstan has a demand for electrical capacities of 15 GW. However, in ten years, much more will be needed, - said Olzhas Talipov.
The expert also noted the ecological advantages of nuclear energy:
Nuclear power plants are environmentally friendly in this regard, as there are no emissions produced.
Gulfia Akhmedova, an energy veteran from Ekibastuz, expressed the importance of developing nuclear energy for the country's sovereignty:
We want to see our Kazakhstan as a sovereign and independent state. Therefore, we must work on raising the economy, building new factories, so that we do not depend on other countries, - noted Gulfia Akhmedova.
Vadim Markovskiy, head of the Department of Electric Power Engineering at Toraighyrov University, spoke about the preparation of specialists for the nuclear industry:
Since 2010, training has been conducted in Kazakhstani universities. We have a three-tier system: bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. To date, more than 2,000 bachelors, about 1,000 masters, and more than 100 PhD doctors have been trained for work in the nuclear industry.
The participants of the meeting concluded that the development of nuclear energy is an important step for ensuring energy security and environmental well-being in Kazakhstan. At the same time, experts emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to the development of the energy sector, including renewable energy sources and the modernization of existing capacities.