Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin have officially launched the construction of the first power unit of Uzbekistan’s integrated nuclear power plant, marking a major milestone in the country’s energy development strategy.
According to the Uzbek news agency Dunyo, the launch ceremony was held via teleconference and was attended by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.
Mirziyoyev thanked Putin and Grossi for their support of the project and expressed appreciation to Uzbek and Russian specialists involved in the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant.
The symbolic start of construction was given by students of the Tashkent branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. During the ceremony, the first concrete was poured at the construction site, officially granting the facility the status of a nuclear power plant under construction in accordance with IAEA standards.
Russia to provide financing
According to Putin, Russia will support the project through a preferential export credit.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Russian president said that Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom will build two Generation III+ reactors with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts each, as well as two smaller power units with a capacity of 55 megawatts each.
“This unique configuration, chosen by the President of Uzbekistan, has no equivalent in the world and will ensure maximum efficiency of the nuclear power plant,” Putin said, according to Fergana.
He added that once operational, the plant will generate approximately 17 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, covering up to 15% of Uzbekistan’s electricity demand.
Russia will also support the project throughout its entire life cycle, including nuclear fuel supply, maintenance, spent fuel management, and personnel training. Approximately 15,000 people are expected to be involved in the construction phase.
Safety and strategic importance
Both leaders emphasized that the project is being implemented in full compliance with international safety and environmental standards under IAEA supervision.
Mirziyoyev described safety as the project’s top priority and said the plant would be built and operated according to modern international requirements.
The Uzbek president also noted that Uzbekistan ranks among the world’s leading countries in uranium reserves and production. He described the nuclear power plant as a strategic long-term project, designed to operate for at least 60 years and strengthen energy cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that both Uzbekistan’s nuclear agency Uzatom and Rosatom are meeting international safety and non-proliferation requirements, adding that the agency will continue to monitor and support the project throughout its implementation.
$9.5 billion project
According to Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhajayev, the total cost of the integrated nuclear power plant is estimated at $9.5 billion.
He said that 85–90% of the project’s cost is expected to be financed through loans. Based on assessments conducted with international consulting firms, the project could generate more than $165 billion in economic benefits for Uzbekistan through tax revenues and the development of related industries.
The intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the nuclear energy sector between Uzbekistan and Russia was signed in 2017. The original plan envisioned the construction of two reactors with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts each.
However, the project was later revised to begin with smaller-capacity reactors. A contract for the design and construction of the facility was signed with Rosatom in May 2024.
The nuclear power plant will be built on a 525-hectare site near Lake Tuzkan in the Farish district of Jizzakh region.
According to current plans, the complex will include two 55-megawatt power units equipped with RITM-200N reactors and two large VVER-1000 reactors. The plant’s total installed capacity will reach 2.1 gigawatts, with commissioning of the power units scheduled between 2029 and 2035.
