The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has pledged full support for Uzbekistan’s ambitious integrated nuclear power plant project, with Director General Rafael Grossi confirming the agency will assist at every stage of development.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the start of construction work in Tashkent, Grossi said the IAEA would actively support the project from planning and implementation to operational readiness, The Caspian Post reports via UzDaily.

The integrated nuclear facility will combine a large-scale nuclear power plant with a small modular reactor (SMR) complex at a single site, making it one of the most significant energy projects in Central Asia.

Under an updated project configuration agreed between Uzatom and Rosatom in September 2025, the plant will feature two Generation III+ VVER-1000 reactor units alongside two RITM-200N small modular reactors with a capacity of 55 megawatts each.

The facility’s total generating capacity is expected to exceed 2.1 gigawatts, with approximately 2 gigawatts coming from the large reactors and 110 megawatts from the SMR units.

Construction is already underway. Preparatory excavation work began in Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh Region in late 2025, while the first concrete work for the reactor building foundation started in March 2026.