«Балқаш» атом электр станциясы» has been selected as the official name of Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant
A nationwide contest to name the country's first nuclear power plant has concluded in Kazakhstan. The competition was organized in accordance with the initiative of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dated August 11, 2025, and was held from September 25 to October 10, 2025, on the eGov Mobile platform.
Based on the results of the final meeting of the Competition Commission, the name «Балқаш» атом электр станциясы» («Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant»), which received the most citizen suggestions, was declared the winner. The chosen name also aligns with international practice for naming nuclear power plants based on geographic location.
A total of 27,157 citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan over the age of 16 participated in the contest. Each participant could propose only one name.
The Competition Commission consisting of representatives of the public, creative industry, and as experts in nuclear energy, philology, and history was established on September 5, 2025.
10,460 unique options were selected of all the submitted applications. Cyrillic, Latin script, as well as synonymous terms were taken into account during the process.
At the meeting, Competition Commission reviewed the 100 most popular proposed names. The name «Балқаш» атом электр станциясы» was submitted by 882 participants, ranking first in the final popularity rating and becoming the winner of the contest.
The Competition Commission also approved the name in Russian and English:
- «Атомная электростанция «Балхаш»»;
- «Balkhash Nuclear Power Plant».
