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A key stage in the construction of low-power nuclear power plants has begun in Uzbekistan
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In the Jizzakh region, excavation work has begun at the construction site of a low-power nuclear power plant (LPNP) with a RITM-200N reactor. This was reported by the press service of Rosatom.
Rosatom General Director Alexey Likhachev and Head of the Uzatom Atomic Energy Agency Azim Akhmedkhadzhaev gave the official start to this key stage of the project.
At the first stage, it is planned to excavate about 1.5 million cubic meters of soil for the pit of the power unit, the depth of which will be about 13 meters. The construction of the station is underway in the Farish district of the Jizzakh region according to a Russian project.
“As in all our foreign projects, a high degree of localization is envisaged during the construction of the nuclear power plant,” noted Rosatom General Director Alexey Likhachev. — The work is carried out by Uzbek subcontractors. Rosatom will build a station with a service life of at least 60 years and provide the necessary support during its operation. Many decades of fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation await us.”
The ceremony marked the start of the practical implementation of the project for the construction of low-power nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan. The parties expect to reach the “first concrete” of block 1 of the ASMM in the spring of 2026
Uzbekistan and Russia entered into an agreement on the construction of a nuclear power plant back in 2018. The document provided for the design, construction, commissioning, operation and subsequent decommissioning of a station with two power units equipped with Russian pressurized water reactors with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW each.
In May 2024, the parties decided to begin cooperation with the implementation of a small nuclear power plant project. Changes were made to the intergovernmental agreement: along with the clause on the construction of a large power plant, provisions on the construction of a small nuclear power plant of six reactors were added to the document; subsequently, their number was reduced to two.
In June 2025, Rosatom and Uzatom signed an agreement to jointly study the prospects for building a high-capacity nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan.
The small nuclear power plant project is based on the Russian technology RITM-200N - a pressurized water reactor adapted for land-based installation. The electrical power of each unit will be 55 MW, thermal power - 190 MW, and service life - up to 60 years. According to plans, the pouring of the first concrete under the station’s foundation is scheduled for March 2026, and reaching its design capacity is expected by 2033. Each subsequent power unit will be commissioned at intervals of six months.
The large nuclear power plant project involves the construction of two VVER-1000 power units with the possibility of further expansion to four. The implementation period is estimated at approximately six years. Negotiations are underway with international partners on the supply of turbines, generators and auxiliary equipment.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called the construction of a small nuclear power plant a “vital project” for the sustainable economic development of the country. He emphasized that the use of our own uranium reserves, which were previously exported, will strengthen energy independence and increase the efficiency of the national economy.
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