Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Procurement Regime Is Now In Force

Why These Rules Are Different

Kazakhstan’s nuclear procurement does not follow the standard state procurement law that governs most public sector purchasing in the country. It operates under a purpose-built regime enacted specifically for the complexity and sensitivity of nuclear construction.

Readers of our September 2026 alert will recall that this was always the plan. The intergovernmental agreement signed by Russia and Kazakhstan on 28 May 2026, which governs the entire Balkhash NPP project, explicitly committed Kazakhstan to establishing a dedicated procurement procedure for its nuclear operator outside the standard procurement rules. The Rules are the fulfilment of that commitment.

Kazakhstan Nuclear Power Plants LLP (KNPP) is the National Operator and the Rules cover KNPP and every company in which KNPP directly or indirectly holds more than 50% of voting shares. Any project company or subsidiary created for the Balkhash NPP or any future nuclear plant falls within scope.