Uzbekistan and the IAEA at the 70th session of the agency’s General Conference discussed the republic’s implementation of the Safeguards Agreement and its Additional Protocol. The meeting of the Committee on Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety of Uzbekistan with Deputy Director General of the IAEA Massimo Aparo was devoted to the development of a nuclear materials accounting system and personnel training, UzDaily.uz reported.
Contacts have intensified against the backdrop of the transition of Uzbekistan’s peaceful nuclear program to the practical phase: in the Jizzakh region, together with Rosatom, the construction of the region’s first integrated nuclear power plant (combining units with VVER-1000 reactors and small RITM-200N units) is underway. Following the meeting, the parties recorded an agreement to expand specialized interaction.
Dialogue with the IAEA is a key element of Tashkent’s national nuclear strategy.
Compliance with the agency's guarantees confirms the exclusively civilian nature of the joint project with the Russian company Rosatom and ensures its international legitimacy.
On June 4, 2026, a ceremony was held to begin construction of the first nuclear power unit in Uzbekistan.
The capacity of the planned nuclear power plant is 2110 MW. The power units will include two VVER-1000 reactors and two small RITM-200N reactors. The launch of the first small reactor RITM-200N is planned for the end of 2029, the second - for 2030. Commissioning of the first VVER-1000 reactor is expected in 2033 or 2034, the second in 2035.
The IAEA's inspection and expert support is helping Uzbekistan develop a robust regulatory framework and independent monitoring system, strengthening the country's status as a secure and transparent energy hub in Central Asia.
CentralAsianLIGHT.org
September 21, 2026