Uzbekistan and Russia to finalise Nuclear power plant contract by 2026

Uzbekistan and Russia are preparing to sign a contract for the construction of Uzbekistan’s first large-scale nuclear power plant by March 2026.

The plant will be located in the Farish district of Jizzakh region and will include four reactors: two VVER-1000 (Generation III+) units and two smaller RITM-200N reactors, each rated at about 55 MW. Construction is planned to proceed in several stages. 

Abduzhamil Kalmuratov, head of Uzbekistan's Directorate for Nuclear power plant construction, confirmed the plans saying, “We plan to sign the contract before the end of the first quarter of 2026. It is a long, delicate and detailed process; we must consider localisation volumes, determine who will supply what, and calculate logistics.” 

Project documents state that the scheme will prioritise local participation, with up to 70% of the workforce expected to be Uzbek.

Authorities estimate the construction phase could involve around 20,000 workers and include development of supporting infrastructure such as housing, schools and public facilities in nearby communities. 

The nuclear project comes as Russian gas deliveries to Central Asia have increased this year. Supply to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have risen by about 15% in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. 

Also, in 2024 Gazprom delivered 5.64 billion cubic meters of gas to Uzbekistan, up from 1.28 billion in 2023. 

Officials describe the nuclear project and expanded gas cooperation as complementary elements of a broader energy diversification strategy.

In the short term, gas supplies are intended to meet immediate demand; in the longer term, the nuclear station is expected to provide stable, low-carbon baseload capacity.

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