Uzbekistan is planning to invest nearly $1 billion in the construction of its first two small reactors as part of an integrated nuclear power plant, according to officials speaking at a major industrial exhibition in Tashkent.
The estimate was announced by the Deputy Chairman of the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sukhrob Abdurakhmonov, during the “Innoprom. Central Asia” exhibition, held from April 20 to 22. The event was organized by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade together with Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, local media outlet Gazeta.uz reported.
Abdurakhmonov said the first phase of the project involves the construction of two small reactors, each with a capacity of 55 megawatts. “Even at the initial stage, the project, valued at approximately $1 billion, will require a large volume of high-quality products,” he said during a panel session.
He noted that the scale of the project is expected to push local industries toward higher standards, from electrical equipment manufacturing to construction materials. “We see this as a strong incentive for the modernization of production,” he added.
The nuclear plant is planned for the Jizzakh region, where officials expect the development of a broader economic cluster. According to Abdurakhmonov, the project could stimulate growth in related sectors such as services, transport, logistics, and social infrastructure, creating thousands of jobs and new opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses.
The announcement follows agreements signed in March between Uzatom and Rosatom on cooperation and further steps in the nuclear power project.
Speaking earlier to reporters, Alexey Likhachev said the initiative could also generate significant economic benefits for Russia. He estimated that even a small reactor project in Uzbekistan could bring orders worth up to $22 billion for Russian companies and create around 1,000 jobs.
