Kazakhstan holds referendum on first nuclear power plant amid public criticism
Almaty: Kazakhstan is voting in a referendum today to decide whether to construct its first nuclear power plant, a proposal pushed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's government to phase out the country’s reliance on coal-powered energy.
Despite the government's emphasis on nuclear power as a step towards sustainable energy and economic progress, the proposal has been met with public skepticism due to safety concerns, the Soviet nuclear testing legacy, and apprehensions about Russia’s involvement.
Prominent blogger Vadim Boreiko expressed doubts about the referendum, suggesting that the decision to build the plant in collaboration with Russia's state nuclear firm, Rosatom, may have already been made and that the vote is merely a formality.
Kazakhstan, a country of 20 million people with abundant natural gas reserves, currently relies heavily on aging coal-powered plants and imports electricity from Russia to meet its energy needs. The government argues that nuclear power, given the country’s status as one of the world’s largest uranium producers, would be a logical addition to its energy mix, alongside growing renewable sources like wind and solar power.
The cabinet estimates that constructing the nuclear power plant would cost between $10 billion and $12 billion. However, critics advocate for alternatives like gas-powered plants, which, while still reliant on fossil fuels, are less harmful to the environment and present fewer risks compared to nuclear facilities.
The country's history with nuclear energy includes the 1986 Chornobyl disaster and numerous Soviet nuclear weapon tests, which have left a lasting impact on public health and have caused widespread distrust towards anything related to nuclear energy.
President Tokayev, addressing these concerns, emphasised the need to focus on future developments instead of lingering on past tragedies, stating, “We must move forward and be optimistic; otherwise, we will lag behind in this global race to progress.”
The outcome of the referendum will determine whether Kazakhstan takes its first step towards nuclear energy amidst ongoing debates over the potential risks and benefits of the project.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
