Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on 20 June, Russia’s State Corporation Rosatom and Uzbekistan’s Nuclear Energy Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, Uzatom, signed an agreement to jointly explore the feasibility of building a large-scale nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan.

The agreement was signed by Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev. This milestone builds on the agreements reached during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Uzbekistan in May 2024 and Likhachev’s subsequent meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in April 2025 at the "INNOPROM. Central Asia" industrial exhibition.

According to the agreement, the parties will study the parameters for potentially constructing two VVER-1000 reactor units in Uzbekistan, with the possibility of expanding the project to four units. The project is based on proven Russian technologies that have demonstrated their reliability and safety in facilities such as Tianwan NPP in China and Kudankulam NPP in India. Globally, VVER-1000 reactors have accumulated over 420 reactor-years of operational experience.

Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, stated: “We are pleased to serve as Uzbekistan’s strategic partner in the field of nuclear energy. In addition to the ongoing small modular reactor project in Jizzakh region, we are now taking an important step toward developing a large-scale NPP with VVER-1000 reactors. Combining small- and large-scale nuclear facilities will allow Uzbekistan to build a powerful, carbon-free energy cluster that meets the country’s growing energy demands and supports the development of industrial and innovative sectors.”

Likhachev also noted that Rosatom has already begun manufacturing reactor equipment for the first unit of the small modular nuclear power plant (SMR).

Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, Director of Uzatom, emphasized: “We see the large-scale NPP project as a cornerstone for a sustainable, reliable, and environmentally friendly power system. This agreement paves the way for in-depth study of the key technical and economic parameters. A joint working group has been established to evaluate project costs and work through all implementation details. The results of this work will form the basis for a final decision on constructing the large-scale facility.”

The implementation of a large-capacity nuclear power plant will mark a natural progression from the small modular project already underway and will position Uzbekistan for a new level of energy independence and environmental sustainability.