Nuclear Energy - The Times Of Central Asia

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 82

Nuclear Energy

Uzbekistan Expands Nuclear Energy Cooperation with Italy’s Ansaldo Energia

Uzbekistan and Italy are deepening their cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, according to a statement from the press service of the Uzatom Agency. A delegation led by Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev has just returned from a working visit to Genoa, Italy, where talks focused on advancing Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant project. The visit included meetings with representatives of the regional government, the Genoa Chamber of Commerce, leading universities, and major Italian energy firms. A key session was held with Ansaldo Energia and its nuclear subsidiary, Ansaldo Nucleare, one of Europe’s leading providers of power generation technologies. Discussions focused on integrating Italian technical solutions into Uzbekistan’s planned nuclear facility, with particular emphasis on adapting auxiliary systems to local climatic and geological conditions. The Italian side shared its experience in safety system design, nuclear software development, and fuel management, expertise gained through projects in China, Belgium, Slovenia, Hungary, and Ukraine. Both sides explored the potential role of Italian companies as technical consultants during construction, ensuring the project aligns with international safety standards. Cooperation in radioactive waste management and deployment of advanced Italian fuel-handling technologies was also discussed. Italy also expressed readiness to support Uzbekistan in developing a national regulatory framework for nuclear energy and licensing procedures. Further, the two parties considered launching joint research and engineering initiatives to train Uzbek nuclear specialists, part of a broader effort to build local capacity and ensure the safe, long-term operation of the country’s future nuclear infrastructure. The talks come as Uzbekistan diversifies its energy portfolio. Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov recently announced that Saudi-based Pemco will begin constructing a 200-megawatt gas-piston power plant in Samarkand. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan continues to expand its solar and wind capacity through ongoing projects with ACWA Power.

Astana Think Tank Forum

Astana Renews Call for Nuclear Dialogue, Global Security Reform

Kazakhstan has reiterated its call for the resumption of high-level dialogue among nuclear powers and a renewed focus on multilateralism to bolster global security. The appeal was made by First Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev during the Astana Think Tank Forum 2025, held on the theme “From Polarization to Partnership: Restoring Trust in the International System.” Ashikbayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s support for forming a unified Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security community and its commitment to contributing to a new international order. “We call for the resumption of dialogue between nuclear powers and a scaling up of multilateral efforts to reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Kazakhstan is committed to making a world without nuclear weapons the key goal of the 21st century,” he said. The forum gathered around 40 international experts from 20 countries, including diplomats, researchers, and heads of leading think tanks. UN Reform and Regional Equity Ashikbayev called for reforming the UN Security Council to ensure broader, more equitable representation for countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He also highlighted the growing role of “middle powers” in fostering trust and regional stability. “We advocate strict adherence to the UN Charter and a modernized institutional architecture that reflects today’s global challenges, not outdated procedures. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful conflict resolution must be upheld universally,” he said. He proposed a new global security framework based on “regional stability as the foundation for global peace,” grounded in international law and multilateral cooperation. Digital Sovereignty and AI Governance In addressing the implications of emerging technologies, Ashikbayev stressed the need for a global regulatory framework for artificial intelligence. “Access to AI must be fair, inclusive, and non-discriminatory. This is not just a technological issue, it’s about digital sovereignty and equitable global development,” he said, affirming Kazakhstan’s readiness to participate in shaping international AI standards. Environmental Diplomacy and Climate Strategy Ashikbayev also emphasized environmental priorities, urging greater international involvement in addressing ecological challenges and protecting shared water resources in the Aral and Caspian Seas. He noted that Kazakhstan plays an active role in the global climate agenda and will host a regional climate summit in Astana in 2026 to advance collective environmental strategies in Central Asia. “Kazakhstan is pursuing carbon neutrality by 2060 through pragmatic steps, including economic diversification and a balanced energy approach. We are expanding renewables while ensuring energy security through traditional sectors,” he said. The Rise of Middle Powers Ashikbayev underscored the rising influence of middle powers in today’s fragmented geopolitical landscape, positioning them as vital mediators and conveners of dialogue. Charles Maclean, founder and managing director of Borderless Consulting Group, echoed this view. “While the spotlight is often on great powers, middle powers are emerging as drivers of constructive reform. Kazakhstan’s growing role and the presence of its leadership on global platforms reflect this new leadership model,” he said. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, independent studies by Institut Montaigne (France) and the Institute for Security and International Studies (Germany) have both identified Kazakhstan as...

Nuclear Energy

Tokayev Proposes Regional Nuclear Council in Kazakhstan

At the second Central Asia-Russia summit in Dushanbe, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed establishing a regional council in Kazakhstan focused on nuclear fuel cycle expertise and radioactive waste management. The proposal follows last year’s national referendum in which over 70% of voters supported building a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan. Since then, the government has selected a site for the first plant and announced plans to construct at least two additional facilities. This summer, Rosatom began construction of the first NPP in the Almaty region in southern Kazakhstan. Tokayev has previously emphasized the need for Kazakhstan to develop domestic expertise in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, citing international best practices. He expanded on this vision during the Dushanbe summit. “Cooperation in the nuclear industry will ensure the development of a number of related industries, which is critically important for us,” Tokayev stated. “We propose to establish a Regional Council of Competencies in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle and radioactive waste management in Kazakhstan. It is important to strengthen the modern research base and the system for training qualified personnel. The first step in this direction has already been taken: a branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI has opened in Almaty,” Tokayev said, referring to the Moscow-based institute that has conducted nuclear research since 1953. He added that Kazakhstan intends to continue developing this sector in cooperation with research institutions from both countries. Tokayev also highlighted recent progress in regional energy integration, citing the trilateral gas union between Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan as a key development in ensuring stable gas supplies for both citizens and industry. “An important document on cooperation in the gas sector between Kazakhstan and Russia was signed recently in St. Petersburg,” he said, referencing a memorandum with Gazprom on the construction of a new gas pipeline from Russia to Kazakhstan to support domestic gasification. The president also underscored the strategic role of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which transported approximately 63 million tons of Kazakh oil to Europe in 2024. He noted the increasing significance of the so-called eastern vector for hydrocarbon exports. “Kazakhstan serves as a transit corridor for Russian oil to China, with volumes reaching up to 10 million tons per year. In 2024, deliveries have already surpassed this level. Given this momentum, there is potential to further increase capacity,” Tokayev said. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has been awarded contracts to build the second and third nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan.

Nuclear Energy

Kazakhstan to Develop Nuclear Science Cities in Almaty and Kurchatov

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced plans to establish two “science cities” in Almaty and Kurchatov to support the development of nuclear energy and nuclear medicine. The proposal was unveiled during a meeting of the National Council on Science and Technology. According to Tokayev, the initiative seeks to consolidate scientific, educational, and industrial infrastructure in regions slated for nuclear power plant construction. The Institute of Nuclear Physics in Almaty is expected to serve as the foundation for a new research hub featuring a multipurpose reactor. A second center will be established in Kurchatov, in the Abai region, in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences, the National Nuclear Center, and local authorities. In a 2024 national referendum, a majority of Kazakhstani voters approved the construction of a nuclear power plant. Earlier this year, the government selected Russia’s Rosatom to build the first plant in the Almaty Region. Two additional plants are expected to be developed by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), though their locations have not yet been confirmed. Tokayev emphasized the broader applications of nuclear technology, particularly in healthcare. He called for the development of domestically produced radiopharmaceuticals and the establishment of nuclear medicine centers to enhance treatment options for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The president also addressed the country’s shortage of nuclear specialists. To help close the gap, 20 annual scholarships under the Bolashak program will be allocated specifically for training in nuclear fields. Currently, approximately 70 percent of Bolashak scholarships are directed toward engineering and technical disciplines. Kazakhstan possesses about 40 percent of the world’s uranium reserves. Tokayev noted that developing a domestic nuclear industry would allow the country to complete the nuclear fuel cycle and reduce reliance on uranium exports. A fuel assembly plant was launched in 2021, and the commissioning of nuclear plants is expected to make nuclear energy a self-sustaining sector of the national economy. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, in March, the government established a Nuclear Energy Agency to oversee the sector’s development.

Nuclear Energy

From Gas to Gigawatts: Uzbekistan Powers Ahead with Dual Nuclear Deal

Uzbekistan has confirmed it will be building a large nuclear power plant (NPP) with two 1000-megawatt (MW) reactors as the country prepares for a sharp increase in electricity consumption in the coming years. Uzbekistan’s state atomic energy company, Uzatom, posted on September 26 that a new agreement calls for both a large and small NPP to be constructed at the same site in Uzbekistan. The revised plan for NPPs in Uzbekistan combines agreements the country signed with the Russian state nuclear company Rosatom in 2018 and 2024. Uzbek Prime Minister Abdullo Aripov and his Russian counterpart at the time, Dmitri Medvedev, signed a deal in September 2018 for a large NPP with two VVER-1200 reactors. However, in late May 2024, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Uzbekistan, a new agreement was signed for six small reactors, each with a capacity of 55 MW. Preparation work for six RITM-200N reactors started shortly after in the Farish district of Jizzakh Province. In June 2025, Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development said the agreement was restructured. The latest official agreement, signed September 26, 2025, commits to building an integrated NPP with two large VVER-1000 reactors and two small modular RITM-200N units. The Farish facility will be the first to house both a large and a small NPP at the same site. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Nuclear Week conference in Moscow on September 25, Uzatom director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev said, “We are the first in Central Asia to create an innovative solution for the future… (a) project combining advanced small modular reactor technology with time-tested solutions from large-scale nuclear energy.” The new agreement calls for the construction of two VVER-1000 units instead of the original VVER-1200 models. There was no explanation for the change in the type of reactors for the Uzbek facility. Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev was also at the conference in Moscow. Hojayev noted Uzbekistan is seeking to increase renewable energy sources so that by 2030, these sources will produce more than 40% of Uzbekistan’s energy. Khodjaev pointed to solar and wind projects in explaining why the small NPPs are necessary. “Large blocks (reactors) provide stable baseload generation, while small blocks cover peak loads and balance the erratic operation of solar and wind farms,” according to Khodjaev. Essentially, the smaller reactors will help ensure a constant flow of electricity into the domestic grid when there is insufficient wind or sun to keep wind farms and solar power stations operating at full capacity. As Much as Possible and More Khodjaev has said that when both the large and small NPPs are operational in 2035, it will add some 15-billion-kilowatt hours (kWh) to Uzbekistan’s power grid. Electricity production in Uzbekistan has risen from some 59 billion kWh in 2016 to about 81.5 billion kWh in 2024. A relatively small percentage of that is exported to neighbors. A recent agreement with Kazakhstan calls for sending some 900 million kWh of Uzbek electricity to its northern neighbor between March and December 2026....

Nuclear Energy

Uzbekistan and Belarus Deepen Nuclear Energy Cooperation

Uzbekistan and Belarus are moving to strengthen bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy, following a high-level meeting in Minsk on August 5. The talks were hosted by Belarusian Energy Minister Denis Moroz and attended by a delegation from Uzbekistan’s Uzatom Atomic Energy Agency, led by Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev. Discussions covered a broad range of potential collaboration areas, including nuclear infrastructure development, specialist training, radioactive waste and spent fuel management, and integration of nuclear power into national energy systems. “We welcome Uzbekistan’s decision to join the club of states using atomic energy for peaceful purposes and implementing a national nuclear program,” Moroz said, expressing Belarus’s readiness to share its experience. The Uzbek delegation is expected to visit the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant in Ostrovets, where technical teams from both countries will explore concrete areas for cooperation. Moroz emphasized that the launch of the Belarusian plant has bolstered national energy security and driven innovation in sectors such as electric transport and housing electrification. “The nuclear power plant has become a springboard for Belarus to reach a new technological level,” he said, adding that the facility complies fully with international safety standards. Uzatom Director Akhmedkhadjaev commended Belarus’s progress in the nuclear sector, calling it “advanced and highly successful.” He expressed interest in involving Belarusian experts in Uzbekistan’s nuclear development efforts. The Uzbek delegation also visited the dispatch control center of Belenergo, Belarus’s national energy company, to observe nuclear grid integration in practice. Uzbekistan signed a contract with Russia’s Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of Rosatom, in May 2024 to build a small modular nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh Region. The design includes six 55 MW reactors with a combined capacity of 330 MW. In February 2025, Uzatom also formed an international consortium to expand its nuclear capacity, incorporating technologies from Russia, China, Europe, and the United States.