Kazakhstan's First Nuclear Plant - Eldaniz Gusseinov | 2025 Episode 8

Is Kazakhstan going nuclear?
Kazakhstan stands at a critical juncture in its energy future. In this expert interview, we ask: Is nuclear power the future of Kazakhstan’s energy strategy? Political analyst Eldaniz Gusseinov unpacks key questions about uranium production, public opinion, civil society, and the global geopolitics of nuclear energy contracts.

We also examine the risks, opportunities, and major international players—Russia, China, France, and South Korea—competing for influence in Kazakhstan’s nuclear power project.

📌 In this interview, we explore:
00:00 – Introduction
01:38 – Is Nuclear Power Essential for Kazakhstan?
04:06 – Public Opinion on Renewable versus Traditional Energy in Kazakhstan
07:38 – Who Makes the Decisions on Nuclear Power Plants in Kazakhstan?
12:01 – The History of Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Plans: Why Wasn’t a Soviet Plant Built?
17:28 – The Current State of Kazakhstan’s Former Nuclear Test Sites
19:20 – The Role of Civil Society in Nuclear Power Decision-Making
23:52 – Will Kazakhstan Engage a Third-Party Consultant for Its Nuclear Plans?
25:01 – Kazakhstan’s Uranium Production and Its Role in Nuclear Strategy
31:43 – Implications if Russia Wins the Nuclear Power Contract
41:49 – Implications if China Wins the Nuclear Power Contract
43:36 – Implications if France Wins the Nuclear Power Contract
44:51 – Implications if South Korea Wins the Nuclear Power Contract
46:37 – Could a Multinational Consortium Build Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Plant?
48:07 – Timeline for Kazakhstan’s Final Decision on the Nuclear Plant
49:03 – Security Concerns Related to Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Project
55:39 – Public Perceptions of the Nuclear Power Development Process
58:22 – Overlooked Dimensions of Kazakhstan’s Energy Security

👤 About the Guest
Eldaniz Gusseinov is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Heydar Aliyev Centre for Eurasian Studies (Ibn Khaldun University) and co-founder of Nightingale Intelligence International. He specialises in EU-Central Asia relations, foreign policy analysis, and Eurasian geopolitics.

Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/eldaniz-gusseinov/
About the Host:
Martin Zubko, creator and host of 'IR thinker', is passionate about exploring global issues in international relations through in-depth discussions with leading experts.

💜🩵💚💛 Connect with Us:
🟠Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/irthinkerfb
🔴LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ir-thinker/
🟣X - https://x.com/irthinker_
🔵Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/irthinker.com
💡Website - https://irthinker.com/

🎧 Listen on
🟨Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kazakhstans-first-nuclear-plant-eldaniz-gusseinov-2025/id1716817337?i=1000709968165

🟩Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/16VvOi6HZRKTXcloWhbVvi

📢 Like, Subscribe, and Share - Comment below!

#KazakhstanNuclearEnergy #CentralAsiaGeopolitics #EnergySecurity #UraniumKazakhstan #KazakhstanNuclearPower

DISCLAIMER
At 'IR thinker', we foster respectful and inclusive discussions. We do not tolerate hate speech, discrimination (including racism, antisemitism, sexism, homophobia, or xenophobia), personal attacks, or harassment in our comments. Opinions expressed by guests and experts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of 'IR thinker' or its host. We welcome constructive feedback to improve our content! Comments violating these guidelines may be removed, and users may be banned. All content is for informational purposes only and remains the property of 'IR thinker'.

MUSIC CREDIT
Infraction - No Copyright Music
https://www.youtube.com/@Infraction

Epic Heroic Trailer by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / New Hero
https://youtu.be/rZH5qYo3MvM

Видео Kazakhstan's First Nuclear Plant - Eldaniz Gusseinov | 2025 Episode 8 канала IR thinker