Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Rosatom sees the potential to localise up to 40% of competencies in the project to build a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh Region. According to the head of the state corporation, this would benefit both the project’s economics and the long-term sustainability of its workforce.
Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev told journalists in Tashkent on 23 October, TASS reported.
“We strongly support this localisation. The more work local contractors carry out, the more efficient the economic model will be,” Likhachev said.
He described the project as exceptional in its technical design. Two gigawatt-scale VVER-1000 power units and two small modular units based on the RITM-200 reactor, each with a capacity of 55 MW, are being built at the same site.
“Nowhere else on the planet are two gigawatt-scale units and two small-capacity reactors being built simultaneously. This has significant economic value and potential,” the Rosatom chief said.
According to Likhachev, there are currently no comparable projects combining large gigawatt-scale capacity with a small, flexible reactor at a single site, and similar arrangements are not even being planned in other countries.
He also described the project’s financing model as unique. In addition to the customer and the technology supplier, international financial institutions are participating in the financing. Likhachev also noted the Uzbek authorities’ strong focus on the project’s social dimension.
The Rosatom chief said Uzbekistan might not stop at four reactors.
“There will be further progress. We warmly welcome this and are ready to take an active part,” he said.
Likhachev acknowledged the customer’s right to choose its partners independently but stressed that Rosatom was not afraid of competition and would continue offering its products. According to him, serial production improves competitiveness and quality while reducing electricity generation costs.
Speaking at the “Central Asia – Atom 2050” event at the Tashkent branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, which focused on dialogue with young people, Likhachev pledged that the plant would use the corporation’s most advanced technologies.
He emphasised that specialists remain the key driving force behind the development of the nuclear industry. In his view, obtaining an education and technical skills is not enough; professionals must also share a common vision and understand the future of nuclear technologies. Likhachev compared working at nuclear facilities to public service aimed at ensuring energy security and technological sovereignty.
The previous day, the Rosatom chief spent time at the construction site. He said it was already possible to see the transformation of the area from an open plot of land into a construction site. The main work is currently focused on building the first small-capacity power unit.
Full-scale construction of the gigawatt-scale units is scheduled to begin in 2027. Once the plant reaches its designed capacity, it is expected to generate 17.2 billion kWh of electricity annually.
On the same day, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Likhachev. The two discussed progress on the nuclear power plant, personnel training and plans to build a town for nuclear industry workers near the facility.
