Rosatom has initiated work on a small nuclear power plant (SNPP) project in Uzbekistan, as announced by the press service of Atomstroyexport (ASE), Rosatom’s engineering division.
"Atomstroyexport and the Directorate for the Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant, under the Uzatom agency, have signed a protocol initiating work at the future site of the small nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan,” the ASE statement said.
The protocol confirms that both parties have met initial regulatory and financial obligations. “Rosatom’s engineering division is now actively developing the necessary documentation to secure a license for the SNPP site and is conducting exploratory work at the construction site,” said Pavel Bezrukov, ASE's project director for nuclear power plant construction in Central Asia.
Preliminary work on the SNPP began earlier this summer. In June, the first project coordination meeting was held at the future plant site, during which priority tasks were identified to ensure that construction would begin on schedule.
In late August, work began on building a camp for construction workers, marking the first step in developing the surrounding area. This region will eventually see the establishment of cultural, educational, and medical facilities, attracting residents, industrial companies, and businesses to the area.
The contract for the project, signed on May 27, 2024, outlines the construction of the SNPP in Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region. The plant will have a total capacity of 330 MW, consisting of six reactors, each generating 55 MW. Atomstroyexport will serve as the general contractor, with local companies also contributing to the construction. The project will feature Russia’s latest technological advancement, the RITM-200N water-cooled nuclear reactor. This design, adapted from the RITM-200 reactor initially developed for maritime use, offers a compact design, an integrated layout, and shorter construction times compared to larger nuclear plants.
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Based on materials from TASS