An item of the draft 2026 State Program has proposed to postpone the start of the First Concrete phase for the Uzbekistan nuclear power plant project until December 2026.
The First Concrete phase refers to the moment when first concrete is poured into the foundation (usually the reactor building). At this phase, the project is considered to have transitioned from preparation to actual construction of the nuclear power plant.
The Director of the Atomic Energy Agency Azim Akhmedkhadjaev told to the president in August that the first concrete pour at the small nuclear power plant is planned for March 2026.
Following the publication of the draft state program, the Uzatom agency issued an official clarification, emphasizing that the previously announced timelines remained intact and there was no discussion of a postponement. The agency noted that the date specified in the draft reflects a "conservative scenario," which calls for the completion of all mandatory preparatory and licensing phases by December 2026.
Uzatom explained that the agency is consistently completing all required procedures, strictly adhering to national legislation and international nuclear and radiation safety standards.
While, the First Concrete phase is planned to begin only after receiving a full package of permits and approvals from authorized bodies.
"The first concrete work is a significant event in the project's implementation, which will be widely publicized. At the same time, we are fully aware of the responsibility involved and will begin this phase only after receiving all necessary permits and approvals from authorized bodies," the agency noted.
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According to the draft state program, several key preparatory phases are also scheduled for completion in 2026.
In particular, a addendum agreement to the current contract is planned to be developed and signed within the year, taking into account the redesign of the NPP based on a pressurized water reactor and the RITM-200N reactor. This entails engaging legal, technical, and financial consultants, as well as negotiations with the Russian state corporation Rosatom.
The draft agreement must be approved by the relevant ministries and agencies, as well as the Interdepartmental Scientific and Technical Council for the Implementation of Atomic Energy and Nuclear Technologies, which was headed by Alisher Sultanov, the presidential adviser on energy security, who was fired in December.
The document provides for the first phase of the construction and installation base at the NPP site and its launch by December of this year, as well as the preparation of a safety feasibilty report for the plant's placement, the receipt of a positive expert opinion, and the issuance of a construction license.
Furthermore, a nuclear fuel supply contract for the NPP is planned to be entered into by the end of 2026, after its terms have been agreed upon with the relevant ministries and agencies.
