Kazakhstan is holding a referendum on October 6 on whether to build its first nuclear power plant, as the Central Asian country seeks to gradually end its reliance on coal, the most polluting energy source.
Voting began at 7 a.m. local time and polling stations will remain open until 8 p.m..
The Kazakh government estimates that a nuclear power plant would cost up to $12 billion to build.
SEE ALSO: Kazakhstan's Nuclear Power Vote: Many Questions, But Just One On The BallotThe resources-rich nation relies mostly on coal power stations to produce electricity. Kazakhstan also imports electric power from Russia, as its own aging infrastructure is struggling to to meet domestic demand.
To read the original story by RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, click here.