Today, on September 28, Kazakhstan atomic industry celebrates its professional holiday. The Decree regarding institution of Atomic Industry Members Day was signed by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev on May 12, 2008, in pursuance of Article 4 of the Kazakhstan Law dated December 13, 2001 “Regarding public holidays in the Republic of Kazakhstan”. In honor of this holiday the most distinguished members were presented with Certificates of Honor.

During the past year Kazatomprom has implemented a number of projects including the projects of innovation character. For instance, the joint venture “SARECO” was founded becoming the practical realization of the project on the «Development of RM and REM production in the Republic of Kazakhstan».

JSC “NAC “Kazatomprom” in cooperation with Toshiba Corp. signed the agreement on establishing a joint venture for research, exploration, production and sales of rare and rare earth metals products and materials

Kazatomprom participates in the large-scale program for the development of alternative energy in Kazakhstan. In June 2010 the autonomous power complexes, based on wind and solar energy were put into operation in the Capital’s Greenbelt (Akmolinsk oblast). Full-scale production of wind-electric sets is planed to be established at Mashzavod JSC (Ust-Kamenogorsk) which is a part of Kazatomprom.

The strategic objective for the Holding is still the realization of projects relating to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle establishment. In the first half of 2010 Rosatom SC and Kazatomprom JSC reached agreements on the alternative development of Uranium Enrichment Center (UEC) which supposes Kazatomprom’s participation in the capital of Ural Electro Chemical Plant (UEСP, Novouralsk).

JSC Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) (the subsidiary company of JSC “NAC “Kazatomprom” ) and Japanese company Nuclear Fuel Industries Ltd. (NFI) have certified uranium dioxide powders produced by UMP for Japanese nuclear plants. The certification will make it possible for UMP to proceed to uranium dioxide powder supplies to Japanese market.

In May 2010 saw the inaugural issue of Kazatomprom’s Eurobonds to the amount of US$ 500million, for the term of 5 years, with the coupon rate of 6.25% which is the best indicator in the history of Eurobond placement by the issuers of the emerging markets. Funds raised from Eurobonds placement are planned to be used for future investments, particularly in the field of uranium conversion and enrichment.

 

In June 2010, the Kazakh and Canadian partners in Joint Venture Inkai (JV Inkai) held a ceremony today celebrating the main process plant opening and startup of the  Inkai uranium minesite in Suzak Region of South Kazakhstan Oblast The Company’s main process plant is located near Taikonur Village of Suzak Region, South Kazakhstan Oblast. The minesite is the largest hydrogenous type deposit located in Shu-Sarysu uranium ore province.  The Company’s plans to operate the main process plant were accepted by the State Committee in February of this year, allowing JV Inkai to start full-scale production. The commercial production provides for startup of the new main process plant, the satellite plants, the well field, the camp and various support facilities. The plant’s design capacity will be 2,000 tons of U or 5.2 million pounds of U per year.

 
LLC “Baiken-U” was one of the first in the system of Kazatomprom to receive the certificate on products origin under the form «СТ-KZ» for inclusion in the register of domestic producers. The enterprise is a joint venture between Kazakhstan and Japan. It conducts its activity in exploration and mining of natural uranium in the Kyzylorda region. Taking into consideration the high dependence of development of Kazakh maintenance on industrially-innovative development of Kazakhstan as well as increase of competitiveness of the domestic industry, LLC have established a long-term cooperation with many domestic producers. This has positive effects for Kazakh subsurface developers as a number of measures for increase of the Kazakhstan maintenance is undertaken by the government. These measures include change of conditions of contracts on subsurface development, granting of preferential crediting, and customs-tariff regulation of import.

 Uranium production volume in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the first six months of 2010 made up 8,452 tU that is 42% more than in the corresponding period of 2009. According to the plans corrected uranium production in the second half of 2010 is expected to be 9,770 tons.

Total Kazatomprom’s revenues for the first half of 2010 made up 105 bln. and 687 mln. tenge, which is 58% more in comparison with the same period of 2009. Such growth in income (almost twofold) resulted from the increase of uranium products sales volume. Net profit increased by 64% comparing with the same period of the previous year.

 Today atomic industry is one of the most high-technology, high-capacity and cost-effective industries in the country. Thanks to the achievements of the domestic atomic industry Kazakhstan has become a key player on the world atomic scene. Against slowing down of the uranium mining rate in other exporting countries the Republic continues systematic pursuing of the programs declared including programs for considerable expansion of mining output. This permits for international nuclear community to make optimistic forecasts regarding development of the world nuclear power. Thus, Kazakhstan makes its contribution to the dawning of nuclear Renaissance. The potential obtained in the course of operational activity and alluring prospects give a chance to the members of Kazakhstan atomic industry steadily face the future where energy of atom is given a particular role.

Brief history of atomic industry of Kazakhstan:
1948 – Foundation of Volkhovskaya expedition (at present – Volkhovgeology JSC, the oldest structural unitbranch of Kazatomprom)
1949 – Manufacturing by Plant 2a, later known as Ulba Metallurgical Plant, which celebrates its 60-years anniversary this year, of its first products (thorium oxalate)
1951 – Discovery of the first uranium deposit Kurdai in Kazakhstan
1957 – Establishing of the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) under Kazakhstan Academy of Science (AC) on the basis of AC Physics and Technology Institute
1967 – Commissioning of test nuclear reactor BBP-K in Alatau village (20km from Almaty) under Institute of Nuclear Physics
1972 – Start-up of the first in the world pilot commercial fast breeder reactor BN-350 in Actau city which successfully was operating over 25 years and now is being decommissioned.
1991 – Signing by President of RK N.Nazarbayev the Decree “On closure of Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site»
1992 – Foundation of Kazakh State Corporation of nuclear energy and atomic industry enterprises (later KATEP)
1993 – Accession of Kazakhstan to Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treaty
1997 – Foundation by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan N.Nazarbaeyv of the National Atomic Company Kazatomprom.