Kazakhstan needs 10,000 workers for nuclear plant, faces staff shortageKazakhstan will need up to 10,000 workers to build its first nuclear power plant, but faces significant staffing shortages in the nuclear sector, the country's atomic energy agency said Sunday."The construction of a plant with two reactors would create massive demand for skilled personnel, requiring up to 10,000 workers during construction and about 2,000 staff for operations, including 600 with higher education," according to the agency's statement."Kazakhstan still experiences a shortage of specialists in nuclear facility design and construction, NPP operation, radiation safety, nuclear physical and information security, materials science and metrology," the press release noted.Agency head Almasadam Satkaliyev said in a Khabar-24 TV interview that educational programs are being updated, applied bachelor's courses are being developed, and new majors are being created to train key positions for the nuclear plant. He specified that seven universities currently provide training for the nuclear industry.He also noted that Kazakhstan is implementing joint programs with Russia's MEPhI and Tomsk Polytechnic University, Japan's Hokkaido and Osaka universities, and participates in activities at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna.The staffing push follows a 2024 national referendum where citizens approved nuclear plant construction. Russia's Rosatom will build the first plant, while Kazakhstan plans cooperation with China's CNNC for a second facility. Rosatom has signed a roadmap to build two VVER-1200 reactors, with construction expected to take approximately 11 years for completion around 2035-2036.Funding for the first plant may involve state export financing from the Russian Federation. Overall, Kazakhstan plans to build three nuclear plants under its nuclear cluster project, with a comprehensive construction plan expected by the second quarter of 2025. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX