Kazakhs vote on the first nuclear power station in country

Sub: IR

SEC: Places in news

Context:

Kazakhstan voted in a referendum on building the country’s first nuclear power station.
The proposed power station is to be located on the shores of Lake Balkhash.

Need for nuclear power:

Kazakhstan already imports electricity, mostly from Russia, as its facilities, many of which are old, struggle to meet domestic demand.
The new first nuclear power station aimed at enhancing power generation capacity and phasing out polluting coal plants.
Kazakhstan is the world’s top uranium producer, accounting for 43% of the world’s supply in 2022.
However, the country does not enrich uranium to the point where it can be used as fuel.

Concerns:

The plan has faced public criticism on concern over related hazards, the Soviet nuclear testing legacy, and fears that Russia will be involved in the project.
Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union in 1986 when the Chornobyl nuclear disaster occurred, and tens of thousands of Kazakhs were left with lifelong health issues.
Between 1949 and 1989, the USSR carried out around 450 nuclear tests in Kazakhstan, exposing 1.5 million people to radiation.

What is referendum:

A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can result in the adoption of new laws or policies.
It typically involves issues of significant public interest such as constitutional amendments, changes in governance, or specific legislative proposals.

Lake Balkhash:

It is an endorheic lake located in Kazakhstan,
Lake Balkhash is one of the largest lakes in Central Asia and the 15th largest lake in the world.
The lake is divided into two parts by the Sarimsek Peninsula, with the western part containing fresh water and the eastern part containing saline water.
The Ili River is the main source of water for Lake Balkhash.
The lake is shrinking and has become increasingly saline.

About Kazakhstan:

Kazakhstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. It shares borders with Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with access to the Caspian Sea.
Kazakhstan broke away from the Soviet Union to became an independent republic in 1991.