Russia and Kazakhstan are both neighbours, ex-Soviet Union partners, and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. Kazakhstan is also a BRICS partner state, and holds a key role in being a primary transit nation between Russia and China.

"Thus, Rosatom was identified as the leader of the international consortium for the project to build the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan."

ČEZ said the contract increased the diversification of suppliers and helped the energy security for the country.

The two sides discussed cooperation within the OPEC+ framework and the energy sector, including electricity, hydropower and renewables. Three coal-fired thermal power plants will be built in Kazakhstan in the cities of Kokshetau, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk, and two power units at Ekibastuz TPP-2 will be renovated with the involvement of Russian specialists.

According to the decree, the agency will take on the functions and powers previously held by the Ministry of Energy "in the areas of subsoil use, use of atomic energy, ensuring radiation safety of the population, the creation and operation of the Semipalatinsk nuclear safety zone in the field of uranium production".

The new cooperation creates prospects for implementing joint projects in uranium exploration and mining in Mongolia, allowing both parties to strengthen their positions in the uranium industry, Kazatomprom said.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced last year that a referendum would be held, and has said the country was in "dire need of reliable and environmentally-friendly" sources of energy, that nuclear could "largely" meet the rapidly growing needs of the Kazakh economy, but any decision on nuclear must be taken with the support of the people.

Kazakhstan’s National Atomic Company Kazatomprom has signed a contract for the supply of natural uranium concentrate with China National Uranium Corporation Limited (CNUC - a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation).

The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kazakhstan resulted in a raft of agreements covering a wide range of areas.

EDF's proposal of an EPR-1200 reactor as the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan was one of "a number of key issues" discussed.