Head of Uzatom: Uzbekistan Builds Infrastructure to Give Young Scientists Access to Global Nuclear Research

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan is intensifying scientific and technical cooperation with Russia’s Kurchatov Institute to establish a foundational base for the country’s future nuclear industry.

This was stated by Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, Head of the Agency for the Development of Nuclear Energy “Uzatom,” during the plenary session of the 5th Congress of Young Scientists at the Sirius Educational Center.

According to him, Tashkent is working on a roadmap for joint research involving the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, the Institute of Nuclear Physics, the Physical-Technical Institute, and other scientific organizations. The main goal is to provide Uzbek specialists with access to the unique research infrastructure of the Kurchatov Institute, including synchrotron facilities, plasma installations, research reactors, and specialized laboratories for advanced studies in new materials, energy, and related disciplines.

Akhmedkhadjaev emphasized that this partnership creates a platform for training a new generation of scientists and engineers who will form the backbone of the national nuclear industry. He noted that the system being established will offer a “wide range of opportunities” for integrating Uzbekistan into the global scientific and technical ecosystem and accelerate the development of competencies in nuclear technologies.

On 27 May 2024, a contract was signed for the construction of the country’s first small modular nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh region, consisting of six reactors of 55 MW each. The general contractor is JSC Atomstroyexport, the engineering division of Rosatom, with local companies also involved in the project.

In June 2025, the presidents of Uzbekistan and Russia agreed to reformat the project by adding a two-unit large nuclear power plant alongside the two-unit small modular plant. On October 9, ground excavation began at the site of the future small plant’s reactor unit.

The project plans to install Russian VVER-1000 and RITM-200N reactors with a total capacity of 2,110 MW. The projected annual electricity generation is 16–17 billion kWh, which will cover 12–15% of the country’s consumption. The general contractor remains Atomstroyexport.

During the construction period, up to 13,000 jobs are expected to be created, with an additional 2,000 jobs upon commissioning. The projected lifespan of the nuclear power plant is 60 years.