At the International Atomic Energy Agency general conference in Vienna representatives of Uzbekistan issued a statement which said discussions had begun to sign commercial contracts for the building of a plant.
The statement said Uzbekistan is building capacity for the use of nuclear technology and science in its universities.
It said Uzbekistan is working hard to join the Vienna Convention on Civil Responsibility for Nuclear Damage. “The depository for the Convention is the IAEA and shows Uzbekistan is committed to adhering to best practice international standards in this area.”
Uzbekistan has formally asked the IAEA for an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) to assess its infrastructure for the introduction of nuclear power. A meeting will be held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent next month, in conjunction with the IAEA, to prepare for the review.
Energy minister Alisher Sultanov told the general conference that “nuclear energy will play a core role in ensuring the energy security of Uzbekistan for years to come”.
Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has said it will build two Generation III+ VVER 1,200-MW plants in Uzbekistan with the first unit to begin commercial operation by 2028.
In September 2018 Russia and Uzbekistan signed a preliminary agreement to cooperate on the construction of a nuclear power station in Uzbekistan.
In May 2019 they signed a contract to perform engineering surveys at a proposed site for the country’s first commercial nuclear power plant.
Roatom said the contract would allow survey work to start at the site, in the Forish district in the region of Jizzakh, southwest of Tashkent.