Construction of Small Nuclear Power Plant to Begin This Summer in Jizzakh Region

30/05/2024

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Construction of a small nuclear power plant (330 MW) based on a Russian project will commence in the Jizzakh region this summer. This marks Rosatom’s first export contract for building such a station. According to the official statement, “the chosen site has already been surveyed, confirming its suitability and safety.”

Uzbekistan will host the first small nuclear power plant in the region using Russian technology. Documents regarding this were signed on May 27 during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Uzbekistan. The Directorate for the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants under the Agency for Atomic Energy of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan and the company Atomstroyexport (an engineering division of Rosatom) have signed a contract to build the small nuclear power plant (SNPP) in Uzbekistan. Additionally, a protocol was signed to amend the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant dated September 7, 2018.

According to the press release from the Agency for Atomic Energy and Rosatom, the SNPP with a capacity of 330 MW (six reactors with 55 MW each) will be built in the Jizzakh region near Lake Tuzkan. Rosatom will serve as the general contractor for the construction, and Uzbek companies will also be involved.

Construction work at the site will begin this summer. “The chosen site has already been surveyed, confirming its suitability and safety, which will significantly shorten the project implementation timeline,” the press release notes. “According to forecasts, the demand for energy resources in Uzbekistan will nearly double by 2050, and it is clear that for the stable operation of the energy system and economic development, our country must ensure itself with a basic energy source in addition to renewable energy sources,” said Azim Ahmedkhadjaev, director of the Agency for Atomic Energy.

For Rosatom, this is the first export contract for the construction of a small nuclear power plant. “And this is not just a preliminary agreement, we are starting construction immediately this summer,” commented Alexey Likhachov, General Director of Rosatom.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of this project: “Practically all leading states in the world ensure their energy security and sustainable development through nuclear energy. With substantial uranium reserves and exporting it to third countries, this project is vital for us if we think about advancing to a new stage of development for Uzbekistan.”

The project is based on the water-cooled reactor RITM-200N. The thermal power of the RITM-200N is 190 MW, electrical power is 55 MW, and its service life is up to 60 years. The RITM-200 series reactors have been tested in Arctic conditions on Russian icebreakers. Since 2012, 10 RITM-200 reactors have been manufactured for the nuclear icebreakers Arktika, Sibir, Ural, Yakutia, and Chukotka. The first three are already in operation and fulfilling their commitments in the Arctic.

An SNPP based on the RITM-200N reactor is also being built in the Yakut village of Ust-Kuyga. The launch of the first power unit is expected in 2027, and commissioning in 2028. The facility will supply electricity to industrial enterprises, including the development of the Kyuchus, Deputatskoye, and Tirekhtyakh deposits.

“The nuclear power plant based on RITM-200N features a fully integrated layout, which ensures high economic efficiency of the project and the highest level of safety,” the official statement emphasizes. The safety of the planned small nuclear power plant will be achieved through multi-level systems and containment barriers, which prevent accidents and eliminate the release of radioactive substances into the environment.

Source and Credit: gazeta.uz