The Head of Samruk-Kazyna, Nurlan Zhakupov, stated this today during theon-site inspection of the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust-Kamenogorsk. It is the largest enterprise for the production of fuel pellets for nuclear power, tantalum, niobium, beryllium and their alloys. The company’s products are used in nuclear, aviation, rocket and space technology, electronics, medicine, instrumentation, science and many other industries. It is supplied to the USA, Europe, Japan, China, Southeast Asian countries and the CIS. Since 2019, the world’s only low-enriched Uranium Bank of the IAEA has been operating here. This is about 90 tons of low-enriched uranium UF6, suitable for the manufacture of nuclear fuel.

Recently, a joint Kazakh-Chinese enterprise Ulba-TVS was launched here. It produces fuel assemblies for Chinese nuclear power plants from domestic raw materials. The first batch of fuel was delivered to China at the end of 2022. Lately, the plant shipped the second batch of fuel assemblies. It has already been deliveredto China. According to Nurlan Zhakupov, the Chinese side attaches great importance to relations with Kazakhstan and is ready to expand economic cooperation. This was discussed during recent business negotiations in China as part of the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan.