Rosatom Begins Developing Training Programs for Uzbek NPP

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Rosatom Technical Academy has begun developing a comprehensive training system for specialists for the future nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, with plans to eventually establish a full-fledged training center at the customer's site.

The Rosatom Technical Academy has started creating training programs and educational materials for the personnel of Uzbekistan's future nuclear power plant. The work began following the official ceremony marking the start of the facility's construction in June.

Staff training is being structured in alignment with the stages of project implementation. Academy specialists are designing training schedules so that theoretical and practical instruction corresponds to specific stages of construction and subsequent commissioning of the nuclear facility.

Special attention is being paid to adapting educational programs to the technological features of the future plant. Specifically, training courses will be promptly adjusted to account for new technological tasks. At the Novovoronezh branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy alone, about 50 field experts are involved in developing training programs for Uzbek specialists.

Under the training initiative, a comprehensive package of courses covering key areas of nuclear power plant operation is scheduled for completion.

"By the end of December, we are to create a comprehensive pool of training courses covering all critical aspects of nuclear power plant operation: from the reactor shop, turbine, electrical, chemical, thermal automation, and measurement shops to radioactive waste management, metal flaw detection, and the methodological foundations of control and inspection," said Sergey Bukin, director of the Theoretical and Practical Training Center at the Novovoronezh branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy.

Thus, specialist training will encompass not only the direct operation of power equipment, but also a wide range of related processes, including control, technical diagnostics, and radioactive waste management.

The Technical Academy noted that the educational program will be adapted to the specifics of small reactors, which will require integrating knowledge from related fields and strengthening the practical component of training.

"The Technical Academy has begun active preparations to train personnel for the integrated nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. During the preparatory period, training materials will need to be adapted to the specifics of small reactors, knowledge from related fields will be integrated, and the practical module will be strengthened," explained Technical Academy project director Ruslan Magda.

According to him, the effort involves more than just preparing specialists for the plant's launch. In the future, Uzbekistan plans to establish a full-fledged educational infrastructure capable of providing personnel for the country's developing nuclear industry.

"In the long term, we envision creating a full-fledged training center in Uzbekistan itself. We will start preparing more than just operators for startup — the Technical Academy will create an educational environment in which hundreds of specialists for the country's entire nuclear industry can be trained in the future," Magda noted.

The first phase of training, which includes theoretical instruction and practical skill development on a full-scale simulator, is planned to begin after all training modules are developed and approved, starting in early 2027.

The creation of a specialized personnel training system is a key element in establishing Uzbekistan's nuclear industry. Advance training, synchronized with the construction phases of the plant, will allow the formation of the necessary professional base for its subsequent operation.

In the long term, creating a training center directly in Uzbekistan could provide conditions for ongoing training and professional development for specialists required not only for a single plant, but also for the further development of the national nuclear power sector.

Thus, parallel to the creation of energy infrastructure, the workforce infrastructure for Uzbekistan's future nuclear industry is being formed, in which modern educational programs, practical training, and simulator facilities will play a key role.