Kazakhstan refuses to reserve gasoline in Russia

Kazakhstan will not be reserving gasoline in Russia for the fall of 2024, announced Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev following a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP).

“Every year, we reserve 50,000 to 70,000 tons of gasoline in Russia in the fall, allowing operators to import these volumes if there is a shortage. Currently, there is no such need,” Satkaliev stated, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In previous years, Kazakhstan submitted requests to reserve gasoline in Russia to prevent shortages in the domestic market. Additionally, Russia supplies natural gas to the Central Asian republic.

Kazakhstan is currently holding a referendum on the construction of its first nuclear power plant. In June 2022, the Ministry of Energy announced plans to build the NPP on the shores of Lake Balkhash in the Almaty region. On October 6, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that an international consortium comprising leading companies with cutting-edge technologies should be involved in the project’s implementation.

By Khagan Isayev