Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom discusses cooperation with China's leading nuclear companies
ASTANA. Nov 29 (Interfax) - CEO of Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom Askar Zhumagaliyev, as part of the delegation led by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin, held talks with President of China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC) Zhang Shanming and President of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) Qian Zhimin.
"The partners exchanged views on uranium transit through China and Kazakhstan's supplies of fuel assemblies to China," Kazatomprom said.
The sides noted a good pace of cooperation and hailed the successful implementation of the FA plant and joint uranium mining projects.
In December 2015, National Atomic Company Kazatomprom jointly with CGNPC agreed to create the Ulba FA joint venture in Kazakhstan to develop uranium deposits and to produce nuclear fuel and fuel assemblies. The agreement envisaged production of fuel assemblies for nuclear power plants in China at Ulba Metallurgical Plant with a capacity of 200 tonnes a year. Ulba FA will be commissioned in 2018 and start producing fuel assemblies in 2019.
Ulba Metallurgical Plant, located in Ust-Kamenogorsk, the administrative center of East Kazakhstan region, part of Kazatomprom, produces fuel pellets for nuclear power plants.
Kazatomprom, one of the world's leading uranium producing companies, is Kazakhstan's national operator for export of uranium and its compounds, rare metals, nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants, special equipment, technologies and dual-use materials.