Bern, 20 October-October 20-23, a delegation of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Atomic Energy and the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, led by Deputy Chairman of the Agency Asset Makhambetov, is on a working visit to Switzerland. The program includes meetings with representatives of relevant Swiss government bodies, research institutions and industry organizations, as well as visits to key Swiss facilities for radioactive waste management.
On the first day of the visit, the Kazakh delegation met in Bern with Benoît Revaz, Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy. The sides exchanged views on the prospects for nuclear energy development in both countries and discussed Kazakhstan's plans to build nuclear power plants. The delegation was also briefed on Switzerland's experience in state regulation of the sector and in selecting a site for a deep geological repository for radioactive waste.
Following the meeting, the sides confirmed their interest in expanding bilateral cooperation, including strengthening the legal framework, training qualified personnel, exchanging specialists, conducting joint research and developing cooperation between specialized research centers.
The meeting with the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (NAGRA) focused on sharing experience in radioactive waste management and ensuring its safe long-term isolation. The Swiss side presented an update on the preparation of the deep geological repository project, which is of considerable interest for studying advanced technological and organizational solutions.
Nuclear risk insurance was a separate topic of discussion. At a meeting with Swiss Re, one of the world's leading reinsurance companies, the parties discussed international practice in nuclear liability insurance, the functioning of national insurance pools, and approaches to assessing and managing risks in the implementation of large infrastructure projects. They also considered the prospects for the company's possible participation in Kazakhstan's projects in nuclear energy and related sectors.
As part of the further program, the Kazakh delegation will visit the Grimsel Test Site underground research laboratory and familiarize itself with the work of Zwilag's central interim storage facility for radioactive waste and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
