Kazakhstan’s national atomic company, Kazatomprom, and Swiss power utility Axpo Power alongside Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt (KKL), have signed the first-ever contract for the supply of Kazakh natural uranium concentrates to fuel Switzerland’s Beznau and Leibstadt NPPs. The signing ceremony took place during the visit of a Kazatomprom delegation to Switzerland at Axpo Power headquarter.
Kazatomprom, the world’s largest uranium mining company, said the contract “paves the way for important cooperation between our companies”. Vladislav Baiguzhin, Chief Commercial Officer of Kazatomprom noted: “The expansion of our sales geography highlights the recognition of Kazatomprom as a reliable supplier of uranium on the global market. This contract represents an important step in our ongoing strategy to diversify our sales channels. It is also a key element in advancing energy security and decarbonisation efforts, strengthening our partnership and ensuring the long-term supply of natural uranium for Switzerland’s nuclear energy sector.”
Dr Bruno Zimmermann, Head of Nuclear Fuel at Axpo Power said the contract was of strategic importance for Axpo and KKL, “as we continue to diversify and secure our fuel supplies”. He added: “Nuclear energy is a key element of our country’s low-carbon energy strategy, making reliable fuel supplies critically important. Including Kazatomprom among our suppliers strengthens our ability to ensure stable energy supply for Switzerland and contributes to global decarbonisation efforts.”
Kazatomprom’s attributable production represented approximately 20% of global primary uranium production in 2023. The Group benefits from the largest reserve base in the industry and, through its subsidiaries, JVs and Associates, operates 27 deposits grouped into 14 mining assets. All of the company’s mining operations are located in Kazakhstan and use in situ leaching technology with a focus on protecting health, safety and environment standards.
The Group’s primary customers are operators of nuclear generation capacity, the principal export markets for the Group’s products are China, South and Eastern Asia, Europe and North America. The Group sells uranium and uranium products under long-term contracts, short-term contracts as well as in the spot market, directly from its headquarters in Astana and through its Switzerland-based trading subsidiary, Trade House KazakAtom.
Switzerland’s four nuclear power units – two at Beznau, and one each at Leibstadt and Gosgen acount for about 29% of Swiss energy generation. In December 2024, Axpo announced plans to invest a further CHF350m ($400m) to enable the oldest NPP at Beznau to operate until 2033. Unit 1 began operation in 1969 and unit 2 in 1972. The current plan is to keep the Gösgen in operation for at least 60 years until at least 2039 while Leibstadt should continue until at least 2045.
