Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have launched an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Mission in Astana, the press service for Kazakh Nuclear Power Plants LLP said.

It was specified that the IAEA Mission will be represented by Mehmet Ceyhan and Thibaud Reysset, experts from the Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section, and Stephen Mortin, an external expert from the United Kingdom.

The mission also includes Kazakh representatives from the Energy Ministry, the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, Kazatomprom JSC, Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP, the National Nuclear Center, the Institute of Nuclear Physics and the Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear Technology Safety.

Previously, the Kazakh Energy Ministry said that the IAEA Mission had begun its work in order to help draw up a report on the country's nuclear energy infrastructure. The work was scheduled to be completed on March 3.

In early February, Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar stated that Kazakhstan intends to determine the technology required for constructing nuclear power plants and to begin working on its design in 2023.

Earlier, Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov noted that Kazakhstan, in cooperation with Rosatom, is implementing a roadmap to prepare for the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant.

The project to build a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan is due to be implemented by an international pool of investors. Four suppliers are being considered: Korea's KHNP, China's CNNC, Russia's Rosatom and the French company EDF. Construction is expected in the vicinity of Ulken populated locality in the Almaty region. According to the Kazakh Energy Ministry, construction may take up to 10 years, and the cost of one power unit is $5 billion on average. The country's energy balance forecast until 2035 considers commissioning a nuclear power plant with a total capacity of 2.4 GW as one of the country's available options.