At the construction site. Photo: Uzatom press service
Construction has begun on the first production facilities of the installation and construction base for Uzbekistan’s inaugural small modular nuclear power plant (SMR) in the Jizzakh region. The project will use Russian-designed RITM-200N reactors, according to a statement from the Uzbek Agency for Atomic Energy, Uzatom.
The installation and construction base will serve as a key infrastructure hub throughout the building of the power units. It will house administrative offices, production facilities, and assembly workshops.
Otabek Amanov, deputy head of the directorate for nuclear power plant construction, stated that the station would provide a reliable source of clean energy.
“We are confident that the project’s implementation will promote transparency and public engagement, strengthening trust and cooperation among all stakeholders. This small-scale nuclear power plant, equipped with the RITM-200N reactor—a technology with a proven track record of safe operation—will be a dependable source of environmentally friendly energy. The reactor’s compact design, high safety standards, and efficiency make it an ideal solution for sustainable energy development in the region,” Amanov said.
Pavel Bezrukov, project director for the plant’s construction at Atomstroyexport, emphasized that the station would guarantee Uzbekistan a stable energy supply for decades to come.
“Rosatom’s Engineering Division is currently preparing documentation for the SMR with the RITM-200N unit, a cutting-edge design built on Russia’s extensive experience operating VVER-type reactors. This Russian SMR project will serve as the energy backbone of regional development,” Bezrukov noted.
The contract for constructing the 330 MW plant near Lake Tuzkan in the Farish district of the Jizzakh region was signed on May 27, 2024. Under the agreement, Atomstroyexport JSC (Rosatom’s Engineering Division) will serve as the general contractor, with local companies also participating in the work.
Preparatory work began in summer 2024, and by August, construction had started on a workers’ camp—marking the first step toward the site’s comprehensive development. The SMR project includes not only the nuclear plant itself but also plans for cultural, educational, and medical infrastructure.
ℹ️ A cooperation agreement between Uzbekistan and Russia on nuclear energy—encompassing the construction of Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant—was signed in December 2017. The initial large-scale reactor, projected to cost $11 billion, was slated for launch in 2028.
The new SMR contract was signed on May 27, 2024, in Tashkent during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two sides also signed a protocol amending the 2018 intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in building the nuclear power plant.
The RITM-200 reactor, originally developed for nuclear-powered icebreakers, is the foundation of Uzbekistan’s small modular plant. While it has a proven operational history at sea, no land-based version of this reactor has yet been commissioned, meaning it is not considered fully reference-proven. A similar project began in Yakutia in 2024. Until now, this technology had only been used in cold climates.
When asked whether Uzbekistan risks becoming a testing ground for the technology, Uzatom head Azim Akhmedkhadjaev said there was no such risk, noting that the technology has been “adapted for land-based use, with the same operating principles.”
