Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has announced that Uzbekistan is considering the construction of two nuclear power plants designed by Russia-one of large capacity and one of small capacity.
Ryabkov made these remarks during a reception at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Moscow marking the country's Independence Day, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.
“The possibility of constructing two Russian-designed nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan-both large and small capacity-is currently under discussion. This would be the first project of its kind in Central Asia,” Ryabkov stated.
He emphasized that the successful implementation of the initiative would allow Uzbekistan to make “a significant technological leap forward” and would mark a major milestone in bilateral energy cooperation.
Uzbekistan and Russia first signed an intergovernmental agreement on building a nuclear power plant in 2018. The agreement covered the entire project lifecycle-from design and construction to operation and eventual decommissioning-of a plant with two power units, each equipped with Russian VVER-type pressurized water reactors with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW.
In May 2024, the two sides revised the original agreement, deciding to begin with a small modular nuclear power plant (SMR) project. The updated agreement retained the large-scale plant provision while adding a new component-a small-scale plant initially planned to house six reactors, later adjusted to two.
The general contractor for the project is Atomstroyexport company, the engineering division of Russia's Rosatom State Corporation. Uzbek companies will also be involved in construction and related work.
The topic of constructing the large-capacity plant was revisited during talks between Rosatom and Uzatom on March 24-25, 2025, where it was officially added to the bilateral agenda.
In June 2025, Uzbekistan and Russia signed a new agreement outlining the terms for the large nuclear power plant. Under the agreement, the plan includes the construction of two VVER-1000 reactors, each with a capacity of 1 GW, with provisions for potential future expansion to four units.
A joint working group has been established to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the project, including technical parameters, construction costs, and to develop the final implementation plan.
In a significant development, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed officials in March 2026 to begin pouring the first concrete at the construction site of the nuclear power plant in Jizzakh region, signaling the official launch of the project.
