Uzbekistan plans to build second and third nuclear power plants

According to the head of state, negotiations with new partners and investors on the second NPP project are scheduled for 17 October. Shavkat Mirziyoyev linked the focus on the industry to a significant increase in uranium mining, accumulated experience, and major investments in this sphere. At the same time, the president did not name the potential negotiating partners, nor the sites, capacities, or construction timelines for the new facilities.

Uzbekistan's first nuclear power plant is being built in the Farish district of the Jizzakh region in partnership with the Russian state corporation Rosatom. The $9.5 billion project combines two high-capacity power units with VVER-1000 reactors and two small units with RITM-200N reactors. The launch of the first small reactor is scheduled for 2029, and the completion of the facility is planned for 2034–2035.

The president first mentioned the preparation of a site for the second NPP on 17 August during a visit to the Khorezm region. Later, in September, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, citing a conversation with Mirziyoyev, stated that Uzbekistan intended to build the second station with China; however, the republic's official agencies have not yet confirmed the choice of a Chinese partner.