Over 70% of Kazakh voters have supported the construction of a nuclear power plant in the country. The government aims for nuclear energy to supply 5% of the national energy mix by 2035, which would mean around 1 GW of nuclear capacity – a standard reactor size representing billions of dollars of investment. Not the biggest move in itself, this is likely to be followed by further developments over time, especially given Kazakhstan’s role as a major source of uranium ore. With 62% coal and 25% natural gas in its electricity mix, Kazakhstan barely surpasses 10% renewables, with 8% coming from hydro alone. The Central Asian states have very cheap electricity today, but their populations and economies are growing rapidly…