Kazakhs vote on the first nuclear power station in country
- October 7, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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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.