President Tokayev calls for expediting NPP construction in Kazakhstan

ASTANA. Jan 9 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has again called for expediting the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, the presidential press service said.

Tokayev familiarized himself with operations of the project office in Astana on Wednesday, the press service said.

"We should expedite the construction of nuclear power plants. As I have said in an interview, we will build two large plants, maybe, three. We should turn Kazakhstan into a country with a developed nuclear energy sector, a country with functioning artificial intelligence and full-scale digitalization," the press service quoted Tokayev as saying during the visit to the project office.

Tokayev said in an interview with the Kazakh newspaper Ana Tili earlier that Kazakhstan needs a high-capacity nuclear power plant. "What's more, I do not rule out the start of construction of a second, or maybe a third nuclear power plant in the near future," he said.

"The nuclear energy industry will give a strong impetus to the development of our national economy, which already has an energy shortage. I believe that Kazakhstan should turn into a country with a developed nuclear energy sector, which has a great future," Tokayev said.