ASTANA – A slight majority of respondents (53.1%) support building a nuclear power plant, hoping it will help resolve electricity shortages by 2030, according to survey results published on Aug. 22 by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS). The telephone survey, which included 1,200 citizens aged 18 and over, was conducted from Aug. 7 to 18.
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Respondents (32.5%) who oppose the idea of building a nuclear power plant are mainly concerned about possible accidents and their consequences for the environment.
Every tenth respondent (14.4%) has yet to decide.
Also, half of the respondents (51.0%) believe that they have sufficient information and level of knowledge to vote “for” or “against” the construction of a nuclear power plant in the referendum.
Another 12.2% of respondents admit that they have incomplete information, 31.6% do not have it, and 5.2% found it difficult to answer. During the survey, 42.6% of respondents expressed a firm intention to participate in the referendum on constructing a nuclear power plant if it is held.
Another 16.4% answered that they would rather take part. Some 25.3% of respondents plan to refrain from participating in the referendum, 8.9% are unlikely to go, and 6.8% find it difficult to answer.
Kazakhstan plans to hold a national referendum to determine whether to construct a nuclear power plant, which has sparked intense public debate. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced it during his September state-of-the-nation address last year.
