Kazakhstan Names Its First Nuclear Plant “Balkhash” After Nationwide Competition

Kazakhstan has officially chosen Balkhash as the name for its first nuclear power plant, following a nationwide contest that drew over 27,000 participants.

Launched by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on August 11, 2025, the competition ran from September 25 to October 10 via the eGov Mobile platform, The Caspian Post informs via Kazakh media.

Citizens submitted a total of 882 proposals, with the final selection made by a Competition Commission comprising public representatives, creative professionals, and experts in nuclear energy, history, and philology.

“The name was chosen in line with international practice of naming nuclear power plants after their geographic location,” the Kazakh Nuclear Energy Agency noted.

This milestone comes as countries worldwide explore nuclear energy to enhance security and meet climate goals, with the UK recently selecting Wylfa in North Wales for its first small modular nuclear reactor.