The construction of a large nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan is planned despite the anticipated start of building a small nuclear power plant. This was reported by the Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, in the podcast "Lolazor," Gazeta.uz reports.
The Minister of Energy was asked what share of the country's energy balance in 2030 would be generated by a small nuclear power plant (SNPP) with a capacity of 330 MW (six reactors with a capacity of 55 MW each), which will be built by the Russian company Atomstroyexport (the engineering division of Rosatom).
"This station will have almost no impact on overall capacity. Why do we first want to start with a small reactor? We need to train specialists for small reactors, but [in the future] we will still need a large reactor. By 2030, we plan to increase the share of renewable energy to 40% and reach 20 GW. I mentioned the sharp weather changes for a reason. When there is no sun or wind, we need base generation. Base generation is thermal power plants (gas, coal) and hydroelectric power plants. Our goal is to build a large nuclear power plant in the future," the minister responded.
According to him, the capacity of the small nuclear power plant at 330 MW will be almost equivalent to 5 GW of energy from renewable sources. This is due to the fact that renewable sources operate about 1,800 hours a year, while nuclear power plants operate reliably for 8,000 hours. The capacity utilization factor at thermal and nuclear power plants exceeds 90%, whereas for renewable sources, this figure is 20-25%.
Jurabek Mirzamahmudov emphasized that the construction of the small nuclear power plant is still at the design stage. In the process of building the nuclear power plant, recommendations from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are being followed, and two agency missions have already been conducted to assess the suitability of the selected site in Uzbekistan.
"The IAEA inspected the site and confirmed its compliance with the requirements. Now we are moving to the next stage. The site has been chosen, and a feasibility study (FS) is now being developed, after which the project cost will be determined," he said.
When asked whether the Uzbek side knows the cost of the project, the minister replied: "Preliminary estimates have already been made, and the project has been launched based on them. Once the FS is ready, everything will become clear."
The minister also commented on the cost of nuclear power plant construction in other countries.
"It is important to understand that conditions vary in different countries. In Hungary, there are certain conditions, in Turkey — others, and in Belarus and Bangladesh — their own systems. For example, a nuclear power plant requires a cooling system. In Hungary, water from the Danube is used for this, and it is returned back to the river. In Turkey and Egypt, there are their own specifics," he said.
Mirzamahmudov also noted that the cost of electricity within the project will be announced after the FS is completed. In addition, he answered a question about the timeframe for the construction of the small nuclear power plant.
"Why did I mention the IAEA? Because the agency's mission was involved in selecting the site. Before construction can begin, a licensing process must be completed. In some countries, this takes two years, in others — one year. That is, the construction of any nuclear power plant only starts after obtaining a license from the relevant committee, which is then reviewed by the IAEA. The construction process itself takes 60 months. But the most challenging part is preparation, design, and approvals. For example, for a thermal power plant, this process takes 36-48 months, while for a small nuclear power plant — 60-69 months," he explained.
When asked by Khushnudbek Khudoyberdiev whether it is possible to build a large nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan by 2040, the minister replied: "Of course."
"We are aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and this cannot be done without a nuclear power plant. The U.S. has revised its program. The most reactors in the world are in America — 99 units. Europe, Korea, and Japan have also resumed their programs. The whole world is moving in this direction," concluded Jurabek Mirzamahmudov.
During the conversation, the Minister of Energy was asked why the cost and other details of the small nuclear power plant project in Uzbekistan are not being disclosed. In response, the minister asked in which country the cost of a nuclear power plant was disclosed. He was told that in Belarus, Turkey, and Egypt, the cost of the plant was revealed. Mirzamahmudov said that the "figures" would be announced after the FS is completed.
The contract for the construction of the SNPP was signed on May 27 between the Directorate for the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants and the company Atomstroyexport (the engineering division of Rosatom) during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Tashkent.
In addition, a protocol was signed on amendments to the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, dated September 7, 2018.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called the project for the construction of a small nuclear power plant "vitally important." "Having large uranium reserves and exporting it to third countries, this project is vital for us if we are thinking about the prospects of taking the country to a new stage of development," he said.
Rosatom will act as the general contractor for the construction of the plant, and Uzbek companies will also be involved in the construction.
The head of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, stated that the plant's commissioning is planned "in stages, by modules" from 2029 to 2033. The small nuclear power plant will have water-water nuclear reactors RITM-200N, which were used in nuclear icebreakers.
According to him, the project will be implemented with a high degree of localization in Uzbekistan. "Funding from the Uzbek side, the issue of a government (Russian) loan is not being discussed," he said.
On September 10, the Directorate for the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants under the Uzatom Agency and the engineering enterprise of Rosatom, Atomstroyexport, signed a protocol on the start of work on the SNPP project in Uzbekistan. This marks the beginning of the active phase of preparatory work on the construction site and the development of project documentation.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 7, 2024