The symbolic groundbreaking took place on June 4 during the telebridge connecting Tashkent with the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. The event was attended by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The design of the power plant has undergone several changes in recent years. Initially, Uzbekistan considered building two large reactors, later a variant based solely on small modular reactors (SMR) was analyzed. Ultimately, a mixed model was chosen.
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The complex will consist of two large VVER-1000 reactors with a capacity of approximately 1 GW each and two small RITM-200N modular reactors with a capacity of 55 MW. The total capacity of the installation will exceed 2.1 GW.
According to the authorities of Uzbekistan and Rosatom, once launched, the plant is expected to produce from 15 to 17 billion kWh of energy per year. This is enough to cover up to 15%. the country's demand for electricity.
Strategic loan from Russia
The state agency Uzatom is responsible for implementation, while the financing of the project is based mainly on Russian credit and technologies provided by Russia. The estimated investment cost is approximately USD 9.5 billion.
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The first reactors will be operational in 2029.
The first small reactors are scheduled to be launched as early as 2029. The entire project is to be completed by 2035.
The construction of the power plant is part of a broader strategy of Uzbekistan, which wants to quickly increase energy capacity in line with the growing demand of the economy and reduce CO2 emissions. For Rosatom, this is another project strengthening Russian technological and energy influence in Central Asia.
