Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the project of the first-ever nuclear plant in Uzbekistan, and the whole of Central Asia by pressing a symbolic button.
Alisher Sultanov, Uzbekistan Deputy PM and Alexey Likhachev, DG of Rosatom, were at one of the priority sites for the construction of a future nuclear plant in Djizzakh province.
"Pursuant to your instructions, dear Shavkat Mirziyoyev, several sites have been examined for seismology, geology and economic expediency. Now we are on one of them and are ready to start exploration," said Alisher Sultanov.
“We are ready, together with our Uzbek friends, to commence exploration and site selection. The main criterion here is safety and full compliance with all international standards and rules of the IAEA, ”said Alexei Likhachev.
By pushing the symbolic button, the two leaders initiated drilling operations for the sampling of soil at one of the priority sites.
Initially, the area near Tudakul Lake on the border of Navoi and Bukhara provinces was chosen as a potential site for the nuclear plant, but later the site was replaced with the area near Aidarkul Lake on the border of Jizzakh and Navoi provinces.
On October 7, the governments of Uzbekistan and Russia signed an agreement on cooperation in the construction of nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved the document on October 13.
The agreement provides for cooperation in the design and construction of a nuclear power plant consisting of two power blocks with total capacity of 2.4 GW, with the project to be completed before 2028.
