Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev, at a government briefing, commented on the signing of an agreement between Russia and Uzbekistan on the construction of a small nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh region.
“We didn’t know about this project; it was announced literally on May 27. Now it is necessary to contact our Uzbek colleagues and determine the implementation format, the platform, and how this will affect the operation of the unified energy system. Energy and security issues are also important. We will start a dialogue soon,” Satkaliev said.
The document, signed on May 27 during Putin’s visit to Uzbekistan, provides for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh region with six reactors with a capacity of 55 MW each, according to a Russian design. The general contractor for the construction will be Rosatom.
“Almost all the leading countries in the world ensure their energy security and sustainable development through nuclear energy. If we think about the prospects for Uzbekistan entering a new stage of development, then this project is vital for our country, which has large reserves of uranium and exports it to third countries,” President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said following Putin’s state visit.
It should be recalled that at the beginning of September 2018, Uzbekistan and Russia signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction of nuclear power plants. The Rosatom State Corporation was supposed to begin construction of a complex of two generation 3+ power units with VVER-1200 reactor units with a total capacity of 2400 MW.
