Uzbekistan to get a loan from Russia for constructing NPP

It is planned to choose a site for the construction of a nuclear power until October 2019. This is envisaged by a presidential decree, which approves the Concept for development of nuclear energy in Uzbekistan until 2029.

Until November 2020, it is planned to obtain a license for the location of NPP. After that, designing the NPP itself and its external infrastructure will begin. To develop a feasibility study of the project is planned until 2021.

The start of construction is scheduled for 2022. Prior to it, the government will prepare an agreement on attracting a loan from Russia for the construction of nuclear power plants, approve a long-term financing plan and receive a license. Commissioning is scheduled for 2030, after the power units reach their design capacity.

The project is divided into three main stages:

•  2019–2020 – site selection and placement of licensing
•  2020–2022 – designing nuclear power plants and facilities of its external infrastructure
•  2022–2030 – construction and commissioning of nuclear power plants

Construction will be financed at the expense of own funds of Uzbekistan and the state loan of Russia. The external infrastructure will be built at the expense of the State budget, the Nuclear Energy Development Fund, funds from investors and other sources.

In addition to the NPP, a nuclear infrastructure will also be created – this will be partially funded by means of a Russian loan. Russia will also help in training and improving skills of personnel, perhaps even for free.

The intending NPP will be “generation III+” consisting of two power units with an installed capacity of 1,2 GW each. It is expected that this will allow to meet growing needs of the economy of Uzbekistan for electric energy – 117 billion kW/h by 2030.

Earlier, it was reported that the estimated cost of building nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan would be about $11 billion. The exact amount has not yet been disclosed.