Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 11, Uzbekistan has launched a significant nuclear energy project with the excavation of approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of soil for a 13-meter-deep pit to house the RITM-200N small modular reactor (SMR). The groundbreaking ceremony, marking the start of this phase, took place in the Jizzakh region and was attended by Pavel Bezrukov, vice president and director of the construction project at Atomstroyexport JSC, Abdujamil Kalmuratov, head of the Directorate for the Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant State Enterprise, and Ulugbek Mustafoyev, governor of Jizzakh.

This will be the location for one of the world's first SMRs

“Today marks the beginning of a new phase in the implementation of the nuclear power generation project in Uzbekistan. As with all our international projects, the construction is designed with a high degree of localisation. The work is being carried out by Uzbek subcontractors. Rosatom will build the plant, which will have a service life of at least 60 years, and will provide all necessary support during its operation. We look forward to many decades of fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation,” said Alexei Likhachev, director general of Rosatom.

Uzatom, Uzbekistan’s nuclear agency, reported that 27 test and research boreholes have been drilled, with engineering surveys and preparatory work ongoing. Design documentation is slated for review by year-end, with the first concrete pour for the initial SMR unit planned for March 2026. The RITM-200N, a 55 MWe water-cooled reactor adapted from icebreaker technology, is expected to go critical in late 2029, boasting a 60-year service life.

Rosatom began manufacturing reactor components in May, including a 205-tonne special alloy steel ingot for the reactor vessel. In late September, during World Atomic Week in Moscow, an agreement expanded the project to include two VVER-1000 large-scale units alongside two RITM-200N SMRs, moving beyond the original plan for up to six SMRs.

This project marks Russia’s first SMR export order, with a land-based version under construction in Yakut, Russia, set for launch in 2027. The RITM-200N integrates advanced active and passive safety systems to meet high safety standards. Negotiations are ongoing for a spring 2026 contract signing for the larger units, aiming for at least 70% local workforce participation.

The initiative supports Uzbekistan’s energy ambitions, leveraging local expertise and resources to build a sustainable nuclear infrastructure. The collaboration with Rosatom fosters long-term economic benefits and strengthens the region’s energy security through innovative technology.