Russia begins production of nuclear reactor for Uzbekistan

The Russian state corporation Rosatom has commenced production of a reactor unit for a small-capacity nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, according to the company's press service.

Specialists at the AEM-Spetsstal plant in St. Petersburg, which operates under Rosatom's Mechanical Engineering Division, have started manufacturing the RITM-200N reactor unit. The reactor is intended for a small-capacity nuclear power plant planned for construction in Uzbekistan.

As part of the project, metallurgists have prepared a 205-ton steel ingot made from a special alloy. This ingot will be used to manufacture the reactor vessel flange, the component that connects the upper cover of the reactor unit to the main vessel.

Rosatom representatives noted that the first component of the reactor equipment was showcased at the Power Uzbekistan-2025 international exhibition currently underway in Tashkent. The event brought together leading energy experts and officials from various ministries.

According to Rosatom, the steel casting process marks the official start of reactor production. Upon completion of the initial manufacturing stages, the reactor component will be sent to other facilities where the full reactor body will be assembled.

“We have the expertise and production capacity to build RITM-series reactor units, which have been used on nuclear icebreakers for several years. We are now applying this experience to the production of six RITM-200N reactors for Uzbekistan,” said Igor Kotov, Head of Rosatom’s Mechanical Engineering Division.

Uzbekistan and Russia signed a cooperation agreement in the field of nuclear energy in December 2017, paving the way for the construction of Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant. The first power unit is expected to be commissioned in 2028, with the project’s total cost estimated at \$11 billion.

The contract for the new project was signed in Tashkent on May 27, 2024, during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Uzbekistan. The agreement includes the design, delivery, and construction of a small-capacity nuclear power plant.

The RITM-200N is a water-cooled nuclear reactor that has previously been used in nuclear icebreakers and has undergone practical testing. However, since no land-based plant using this reactor type has been constructed yet, the project is not considered fully proven or reference-standard.

Earlier reports indicated that the Forish district of Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region has been selected as the construction site for the small-capacity nuclear power plant.