Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Thursday that the construction of a nuclear power plant, should citizens vote for it in an upcoming referendum, will be the "largest project" in the history of the country.
"If citizens vote 'for' (during the referendum), this project will be the largest in the entire history of Independent Kazakhstan," Tokayev was quoted as saying on Telegram by the Kazakh presidential press service Akorda during a forum in the capital Astana.
He said that the nationwide referendum scheduled to be held on Oct. 6 will be significant irrespective of its results, adding the vote is "another vivid manifestation of the concept of a 'listening state'."
"I have repeatedly expressed my position on the issue of building a nuclear power plant. In order not to be left on the sidelines of global progress, we must use our competitive advantages," Tokayev further said.
He also said that despite the construction of the plant being a long-term project, it will ensure sustainable progress for Kazakhstan "for decades to come," as well as strengthen the country's energy sovereignty.
"I repeat that the upcoming referendum will be one of the most important events in all the years of independence and will have a positive effect on the further development of our country," he added.
The proposal for the referendum was first floated by Tokayev in September last year. He described the decision to build or not build a nuclear power plant as a critical issue for Kazakhstan's future, noting that opinions in the country are divided, with safety concerns being a significant factor.
These concerns stem from the tragic legacy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, located in northeastern Kazakhstan, where more than 450 nuclear tests were conducted during the Soviet era.
The site was closed in 1991, but the memory of its impact remains strong among the population.
