Polls are open in Kazakhstan Sunday for a landmark referendum on building the country’s first nuclear power plant, confronting the country's painful legacy as a testing ground for Soviet nuclear weapons.

Kazakhstan votes on Sunday in a referendum on building the country's first nuclear power station as the world's top uranium producer looks to boost its power generation capacity. The result, due to be announced on Monday,

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 6. Preliminary results show that 63.87% of voters participated in Kazakhstan’s referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant, Trend reports. The Central Election Commission reported that 7.8 million out of 12.24 million eligible voters cast their ballots.

ASTANA – International observers noted a well-organized voting process during Kazakhstan’s nuclear power plant referendum on Oct. 6, reporting no barriers or violations.

Kazakhstan votes in a referendum on Sunday on whether to build its first nuclear power plant, an idea promoted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's government as the Central Asian nation seeks to phase out polluting coal plants.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 6. Voter turnout for Kazakhstan’s referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant reached 61.56% by 6:00 PM local time, Trend reports. The country’s Central Election Commission reported that 7.5 million out of 12.24 million eligible voters have cast their ballots so far.

Vote comes as Central Asian nation seeks to reduce its reliance on coal and secure a more sustainable energy future

Authorities in Kazakhstan are widely expected to get their way in a referendum on nuclear power. But the question of which countries will be involved in building the future nuclear facility will have to wait until after the vote.

Voters in Kazakhstan will decide on Sunday whether to allow construction of a nuclear power plant amid worries over the environmental impact as well as the potential reliance on the Central Asian nation’s two giant neighbors — China and Russia — for technology.