Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the imminent start of preparations for the construction of a second nuclear power plant in the country. According to him, the new project is necessary to provide the economy with stable electricity supplies and reduce its cost.
Mirziyoyev noted that investors are primarily interested in the price of electricity and guarantees of its supply. He also linked the development of nuclear energy with the implementation of the country's development strategy until 2030.
Currently, an integrated nuclear power plant project is already underway in the Jizzakh region, with construction being carried out with the participation of Rosatom. The plant will include two power units with VVER-1000 generation 3+ reactors and two small power units with RITM-200N reactors, each with a capacity of 55 MW. The total capacity of the facility will exceed 2.1 GW.
The first concrete pour at the integrated nuclear power plant site took place on June 4, 2026, officially commencing the station's construction.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's electricity demand could approximately double in the next 10 years. Mirziyoyev also recalled the significant uranium reserves in the country: Uzbekistan ranks tenth in the world in terms of reserves and fifth in terms of production volume.
The Farish district of the Jizzakh region was previously named as a potential site for the future second nuclear power plant. The site of the current project also allows for the placement of additional large power units.