Works on substantiation of creation and development of national nuclear energetics are curried out by Institute of Atomic Energy. The following is being curried out in this direction:

− feasibility studies to support the construction of nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan; (in conducting this study JAPC Japanese company is involved);

− development of regulatory and technical documents that define rules and procedures of the tender for the construction of nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan;

− preparatory work to establish pilot demonstration unit of low power with high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR).

Creation of the pilot demonstration unit with a reactor plant of small power of HTGR type in Kurchatov is one of the priorities of the institute. As a prototype reactor for this unit is supposed to take the reactor HTR50C (development of JAEA, Japan). Reactors of this type (related to innovative reactors of Generation IV) largely corresponds to the definition of a reactor with maximum attainable level of security and are more cost-effective than other types of reactors.

HTGR can produce not only electricity but also coolant (with a temperature of 950°C) necessary for the implementation of high technologies in various industries involved in oil refining, coal gasification, production of ethylene, styrene, ammonia, steel, including - hydrogen as an energy source for industries, fuel elements of vehicles.

At present the high-temperature technologies are implemented using fossil fuels, combustion products of which, polluting the atmosphere, create a heavy environmental burden on the environment. HTGR - technology is a viable alternative energy technologies that use fossil fuels, and is in line with the development of high technologies providing the transition to a nuclear-hydrogen power engineering, the inevitable transition to which is realized by the industrialized countries.

Construction of pilot demonstration unit with HTGR in Kurchatov will acquire practical experience in designing, building and HTGR operation, to demonstrate the comparative efficiency of electricity generation using steam and gas turbines, to demonstrate the feasibility and evaluate the effectiveness of the industrial production of hydrogen using high temperature gas (HTGR coolant), to confirm the actual technical and economic characteristics and feasibility of further development and implementation of HPP project with HTGR nuclear reactor of average power in Kazakhstan.