The Kazakh Atomic Energy Agency has shortlisted four companies to supply reactors for its first nuclear power plant, the Interfax news agency reports.

They are Russia’s Rosatom, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), France’s EDF and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

Rosatom is offering its VVER-1200, KHNP its APR-1000/APR-1400, EDF its EPR1200 and CNNC is offering its HPR-1000 (Hualong One) design.

Each reactor is expected to cost around $5bn.

Astana will set up a commission to examine the offers. The plant itself is expected to be built by an international consortium of nuclear engineers in the Zhambyl district of Almaty region.

A decision is expected by the end of November.

“The final decision on the choice of a supplier or consortium for the implementation of the project will be made at a meeting of the interdepartmental commission, taking into account the national interests of the country,” said the agency’s statement.

Kazakhstan is the world’s largest producer of uranium but has no nuclear power of its own.

The government is expected to produce a construction plan for three plants over the next few months. It wants nuclear power to make up 5% of the national energy mix by 2035.