Uzbekistan and Russia reach agreement on construction of new nuclear power plant

• 5 years ago (2018-07-11)
• David Flin

Asia 846 Nuclear 639

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It has been reported that Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear energy corporation, and officials from Uzbekistan have reached an agreement to build a two-reactor nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan. Bakhrom Ashrafkhanov, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Russia, said: “The nuclear power plant will definitely be constructed, and the two sides are working on a road map.” It is expected that the final deal will be signed this autumn in Tashkent, when Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, visits Uzbekistan.

The plant will be built in the southwestern uranium-mining province of Navoi. It will add 2400 MW of capacity to Uzbekistan’s existing total installed capacity of 14,100 MW, and this should assist in alleviating current power shortages. However, it is estimated that the country’s electricity demand will rise by 50 per cent over the next decade.