Kazakhstan's Central Referendum Commission (CRC) said that almost three-quarters of voters cast ballots in support of the construction of a nuclear power plant amid a crackdown on activists opposed to the project.
The CRC said on October 7 that preliminary results from the referendum a day earlier showed 71.12 percent voted in favor of Kazakhstan building its first nuclear power plant. Supporters say the project will help end the country's reliance on coal, but opponents argue it is too expensive and will be an environmental hazard.
Despite widespread opposition, many observers had expected the referendum to pass given the government's tight hold on Kazakhstan's political environment.
Voters were presented with a single yes-or-no question in the October 6 referendum: "Do you agree with the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan?"
SEE ALSO: Kazakhstan's Nuclear Power Vote: Many Questions, But Just One On The BallotOverall, almost 64 percent of eligible voters participated in the referendum, the CRC said.
The lowest turnout was recorded in Almaty, the country's largest city with the most politically active population, where only 25 percent of voters participated.
Many in the city say the majority of the residents were against the plan to raise a nuclear power plant but decided to boycott the poll amid pressure imposed on the opponents of the idea.
In the days ahead of the vote, nearly 30 activists were detained and protest rallies ruled out as the government looked to keep a lid on dissent.
There were also reports of detentions and arrests on the day of the referendum, while observers reported irregularities in several regions, including allegations of election officials placing multiple ballots into the urns at certain polling stations.
In Astana, noted activist Elvira Bekzadina was detained for protesting against the nuclear power plant, while in Almaty, activist Aset Abishev was also detained.
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Kazakhstan’s Controversial Nuclear Power Vote
Both were later fined for violations unrelated to public gatherings.
Qural Seitkhanuly said he filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office when he observed what he said was a person dropping off five or six ballots at a polling station in the Turkistan region. He said he was removed from the station.
"There are 2,438 registered voters here, and only about 500 people came. But they reported 70 percent [turnout]. How?" he said.
The government sees the project as a way to provide clean and affordable energy, helping Kazakhstan maintain low electricity tariffs.
In addition to concerns about environmental risks, some activists and opposition politicians warned such a plant could pose a national security.
They say if Russia's state-owned nuclear agency, Rosatom, is involved, it could increase Kazakhstan's dependence on Russia and make the country a strategic target in the event of future conflict.
SEE ALSO: Amid Government Push, Russia Looms Large Over Kazakh Nuclear Power DebateMemories of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and Russia's recent actions at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine, where the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, have further fueled public skepticism.
While Kazakh officials have not confirmed which foreign company might lead the project, Rosatom, China's CNNC, South Korea's KHNP, and France's EDF have all been named as potential partners.
"The government should conduct an analysis and conduct relevant negotiations," President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev said after casting his ballot.
"From my personal point of view, an international consortium consisting of global companies possessing advanced technologies should work in Kazakhstan," he added.
He did not provide further details.