Uzbekistan to Complete Small Reactor Foundations by 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Concrete pouring for the foundation slabs of two small-capacity power units at Uzbekistan’s nuclear power plant is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev told journalists, TASS reported.

The units will each have a capacity of 55 MW and be equipped with RITM-200 reactors. They are being built as part of the integrated nuclear power plant project in the Jizzakh region.

Likhachev recently visited the construction site, where he reviewed progress on the first small-capacity power unit.

According to Likhachev, the first concrete work began in May as part of tasks set by the presidents of Russia and Uzbekistan. Rosatom, however, reported that concrete pouring for the first unit’s foundation slab began on 4 June 2026.

Work is currently underway on the concrete base of the reactor building, with 25 pieces of equipment deployed at the site. Completing the foundation slab for the first reactor building will require 10,000 cubic metres of concrete.

Construction of the main buildings and structures for the small-capacity units is scheduled to begin in 2027. These will include reactor buildings, a control building and turbine halls. Likhachev said this would mark the transition from earthworks and foundation construction to building the walls and floors of the main facilities.

The integrated nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan will comprise two large-capacity power units rated at 1,000 MW each and two small-capacity units rated at 55 MW each. Once it reaches its designed capacity, the plant is expected to generate 17.2 billion kWh of electricity annually.

The project also includes construction of a town for nuclear industry workers, expected to accommodate more than 30,000 specialists and their family members. An industrial cluster is planned approximately 25 kilometres from the plant site.

Cooperation on the project has expanded in several stages. Relevant documents were signed in May 2024, further agreements were reached in September 2025, and an additional agreement on the construction of the integrated nuclear power plant was signed in March 2026.