Small nuclear power plant construction in Uzbekistan pushed back by nine months

The document indicates that the launch of the construction phase, including the pouring of first concrete, will be delayed by about nine months. Previously, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev had instructed officials to accelerate the project and begin construction in March 2026. The reasons for the revised timeline have not been disclosed.

Under the updated plans, Uzbekistan intends in 2026 to draft, sign, and register an additional agreement to its contract with Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The agreement will reflect a reconfiguration of the integrated nuclear power plant project, combining a large-capacity VVER-1000 reactor with a small-capacity RITM-200N reactor. Negotiations with Rosatom are planned as part of this process.

In parallel, construction works related to the first stage of the construction and installation base are scheduled to begin at the future nuclear power plant site in Jizzakh region. A phased commissioning of related facilities is planned to be completed by the end of 2026.

Uzatom, the Nuclear Power Plant Construction Directorate, the Cabinet of Ministers’ Committee on Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety, and the Scientific and Technical Center for Radiation and Nuclear Safety are tasked with preparing a draft safety justification report for the plant’s site and securing a positive expert assessment.

The transition to the main construction stage of the small nuclear power plant, marked by the pouring of first concrete, is now scheduled for December 2026. To this end, Uzatom, the Jizzakh regional administration, and the industrial and nuclear safety committee must finalize design documentation, gradually prepare engineering networks and access roads for the construction site, and obtain a license for nuclear power plant construction.

In addition, the government plans to conclude a contract for the supply of nuclear fuel by the end of this year. Uzatom, the plant’s construction directorate, the Ministry of Geology, and Navoiuran are expected to study the possibility of using customer-provided raw materials in fuel production, coordinate the fuel supply agreement, and sign the contract.