British Closed Nuclear Centres Partnership


National Nuclear Centre of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NNC RK)

The National Nuclear Center (NNC) of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established by Presidential Decree No.779 dated May 15, 1992 on the basis of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) defense infrastructure and other relevant research facilities available in Kazakhstan.

The NNC's organizational structure as follows:

  • Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) (Almaty, Kurchatov, VKO Aksay Village)
  • Institute of Atomic Energy (IAE) (Kurchatov)
  • Institute of Geophysical Research (IGR) (Kurchatov, Borovoe, Almaty, Kaskelen, Aktyubinsk, Makanchi)
  • Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology (Kurchatov)
  • Baikal Enterprise (Kurchatov)
  • Kazakh State Research and Production Center of Explosive Operations (Almaty)

A high-capacity scientific and technical and production infrastructure (three research reactors, isochronous cyclotron, charged particle accelerators and a number of elaborate experimental test-benches) and highly qualified specialists enable NNC's progress in the following areas:

  • Radioecology of those Kazakhstan regions where nuclear tests were conducted and nuclear industry establishments and facilities are located:
    • Elimination of nuclear weapon testing consequences in Kazakhstan.
    • Radiological situation assessment and monitoring at the Semipalatinsk Test-Site territory and in adjacent areas. Environmental arrangements.
    • Radiological status assessment and monitoring at nuclear test locations in Western Kazakhstan.
    • Radiation monitoring of power reactor facility locations.
    • Complex assessment of population health in the Semipalatinsk Test-Site nearby settlements.
    • Establishment of geographic information system on the Semipalatinsk Test-Site.
  • Nuclear power engineering and NPP safety:
    • Research into NPP design, construction and decommissioning issues.
    • Development of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel handling technology and system.
    • Studies on nuclear power safety validation.
    • Activities under ITER International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor program.
  • Nuclear physics and radiation material science for nuclear power engineering:
    • Studies of irradiation influence on structure, phase content and physical properties of materials in the nuclear power engineering.
    • Studies of low energy nuclear reactions.
    • Fundamental study addressing the tasks of enhancing the safety and efficiency of nuclear power engineering and industry.
  • Nuclear-physical methods and high-end technologies for Kazakhstan national economy:
    • Development and implementation of reactor radioisotopes production techniques.
    • Development of radioactive isotopes production using the isochronous cyclotron.
    • Development of nuclear-physical methods enlarging real-world tasks in geology, metallurgy and radioecology.
    • Design and development of devices and computer aids for science and technology.
  • Geophysics and non-proliferation:
    • Dynamics assessment of post-explosion geology at the underground nuclear test areas.
    • Nuclear test monitoring by national stations incorporated into the International Monitoring System under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty.
  • Personnel training for Kazakhstan nuclear power engineering:
    • Improvement of logistics of educational institutions training staff for nuclear power engineering in Kazakhstan.
    • Involvement of key scientists and specialists of scientific and industrial organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan in personnel training.
    • Involvement of key Russian nuclear professors in personnel training.

The research work is based on scientific-technical and production infrastructure and highly qualified scientific and technical personnel. Part of scientific research is supported by projects of the IAEA, ISTC, European Economical Community (EEC) and other contract projects providing for considerable re-equipment of NNC Institutes with devices and facilities. Experimental Complexes: WWR-K Reactor, Critical Test Bench, IVG.1M Reactor, IGR Reactor, Liana Test Bench, Isochronous Cyclotron, Small Size Cyclotron, UKP-2-1 Electrostatic Charge-Exchange Accelerator, ELV-4 Electron Accelerator.

www.nnc.kz - National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan