Uzbekistan is closely cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) “on all aspects of the peaceful uses of atomic energy,” the Minister of Energy Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov declared following the meeting with the head of the IAEA Rafael Grossi on June 10.
Reportedly, the parties discussed the ways to continue cooperation in this area.
Rafael Grossi said after the meeting: “The IAEA is ready to continue to support Uzbekistan in its plans to generate nuclear power in the country, in particular small modular reactors.”
The construction of a small-scale nuclear power plant (330 MW, six reactors of 55 MW each) according to a Russian project in the Jizzakh province was announced during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Tashkent at the end of May. The launch of the first reactor is planned in five years, subsequent ones - every six months.
It is planned to build the plant on the previously approved site near Lake Tuzkan, where the location of a large nuclear power plant (two power units of 1200 MW each) was initially considered.
In the summer of 2021 and early 2023, IAEA experts visited Uzbekistan to assess the site for the construction of a nuclear power plant.
