In 2004 KAZATOMPROM continued its work on ensuring appropriate standards of radiation safety, sanitary regulations and environmental protection at its facilities.  The company’s environmental and radiation safety control units perform regular monitoring of gamma-radiation exposure rate, levels of surface radioactive contamination, content of long-lived radio-nuclides and equilibrium volumetric activity (concentration) of radon at the facilities, working areas, sanitary protection zones and adjacent inhabited localities.

There were no radiation accidents at the Company's facilities over the last year.

According to the measurement results throughout the company facilities individual doses of the personnel have not exceeded a permissible level of 20 mSv/year stipulated by the radiation safety standards.  Moreover, 95% of the personnel have had an exposure not exceeding even a quarter of this limit.

In 2004, actual emissions from all production units of OJSC Ulba Metals Plant (subsidiary of Kazatomprom) amounted to 89.908 tons which represents only 24% of prescribed allowed limits of gross emissions.  In total balance of emissions in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk those of Ulba Metals Plant have made merely 0.1%.

MAEC-Kazatomprom LLP (subsidiary of Kazatomprom) has further advanced decommissioning of BN-350 fast breeder reactor according to the Program of priority actions approved by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.  MAEC-Kazatomprom has completed purification of liquid metal coolant (sodium) of the first circuit from cesium radio-nuclides, and completed sodium drainage to the tanks of the storage system, performed relevant procedures for safe storage of sodium from circuits I and II (stored frozen, in special tanks).  MAEC-Kazatomprom currently renovates the spent fuel storage pool, implements measures for utilization of liquid radioactive waste and non-nuclear radioactive waste disposed in the spent nuclear fuel storage pools.  The facility has accomplished detailed engineering and commenced on construction of the liquid-metal coolant processing plant.  The last performance greatly reduced levels of fire and radiation and environmental risks at the unit reactor.

Kazatomprom is elaborating further actions plan for BN-350 decommissioning, including future projects for processing of solid radioactive waste, storage of spent nuclear fuel, preparation of buildings and equipment to ensuring safe decommissioning the reactor in the long run.

In October 2004 Kazatomprom took over the Stepnogorskii Mining and Chemical Complex LLP on trust management conditions.  And starting from IV quarter 2004 Kazatomprom has upgraded the facility’s labor protection and environmental and radiation safety operations and equipment, which included purchase of individual protection wear, decontamination of sites and premises, disposal of 295 pieces of life-expired encapsulated radioactive sources, and acquisition of formerly unavailable dosimeter equipment.

State-owned company Kazatomprom reports to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan.  Kazatomprom is the country’s exclusive import and export agent for uranium and other materials of dual use.  Kazatomprom today is a group of adjacent companies of total staff of 19,000 employees involved in uranium geology and mining, metals processing, energy generation and supply, professional training, research and development, and social development.