Nuclear Plant to Drive Regional Economic Growth in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A nuclear power plant is viewed as a key driver of regional economic development in Uzbekistan. This was stated by Otabek Amanov, Deputy Director of the Directorate for the Construction of the Jizzakh Nuclear Power Plant, during a plenary session of the 6th international industrial exhibition “INNOPROM. Central Asia.”

According to him, the implementation of the project will have a multiplier effect across multiple sectors, including construction, electrical equipment production, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, and related industries.

Amanov noted that currently around 70–80% of electricity in Uzbekistan is generated by thermal power plants. In this context, the country’s leadership has adopted a course toward diversifying energy sources. Alongside the development of renewable energy, nuclear generation is being considered as a stable baseload source capable of ensuring uninterrupted electricity production throughout the entire lifecycle of the plant.

It is expected that a comprehensive project will be implemented in the Farish district of the Jizzakh region, including the construction of a small modular nuclear power plant with RITM-200N reactors of 55 MW each, as well as a large-scale plant with two power units based on Generation III+ VVER-1000 reactors. Once operational, these facilities are expected to cover up to 14% of the country’s electricity needs.

During the construction phase, up to 13,000 people are expected to be employed simultaneously at the site. During operation, the integrated nuclear facility is expected to create around 2,000 permanent jobs.

The project is being implemented using Russian technologies, with the state corporation Rosatom serving as the general contractor.