Mirziyoyev meets with a head of Rosatom

On April 28, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Alexey Likhachev, the Director General of the Rosatom State Corporation, in Tashkent. This was reported by the President's press service.

During the meeting, both sides highlighted the rapid development of cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy.

Particular attention was given to the application of nuclear technologies in agriculture and medicine, as well as the training of personnel at the MEPhI branch in Tashkent.

The meeting took place within the framework of the fifth international industrial exhibition "INNOPROM. Central Asia," which opened today, April 28, at the Central Asian Expo Uzbekistan complex.

Likhachev mentioned that Tashkent and Moscow have resolved all legal issues related to the construction of a low-power nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. According to him, the first concrete for the plant’s foundation could be poured within a year, or potentially even sooner.

“We have resolved all the legal issues to launch the project. We are waiting for the usual procedures—project specifications, licensing, and the first concrete pour, which I hope will be done in a year, maybe even sooner. If the Uzbek leadership returns to the topic of a large nuclear power plant, we will already have proposals ready—not only on the appearance of these future facilities but also on financial and organizational issues related to the localization of large-scale work with local manufacturers here in Uzbekistan,” Likhachev said.

The head of Rosatom emphasized that the project would be implemented in the format of international cooperation, utilizing advanced experience in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

It should be recalled that in May 2024, Uzatom and Rosatom signed an agreement to construct a small nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. The plant will be based on the Russian RITM-200N reactor (capacity: 55 MW, service life: up to 60 years).

The first reactor is expected to be commissioned within five years, with subsequent reactors coming online at six-month intervals. The plant is not anticipated to reach its full design capacity before 2033.

Uzbekistan plans to create an international consortium to build the nuclear power plant, aiming to attract Russian, Chinese, and European technologies. Additionally, there are discussions about sourcing equipment for turbines, generators, and cooling facilities from international companies.

Azim Akhmadkhodjaev, Director of the Uzatom agency, stated that the cost of the small nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan will be less than $2 billion. In an interview with Le Figaro, he also mentioned that negotiations are ongoing with three French companies to participate in the project, specifically for the small nuclear power plant planned for construction in the Jizzakh region.