Kyrgyzstan is set to discuss a proposal to build a nuclear power plant (NPP) in the country, with the energy ministry planning to put forward a proposal for a facility that would use small modular reactor (SMR) technology.
Deputy Minister of Energy Emilbek Ysmanov told a parliamentary committee that the proposal would be discussed soon, with the aim of alleviating the country’s power outages. Kyrgyzstan is heavily dependent on hydropower and has ambitious plans to build up its hydro infrastructure, but the country still experiences frequent power outages.
The planned NPP would be the first of its kind in Kyrgyzstan, and would be built in partnership with Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom. Rosatom has already compiled a preliminary feasibility study for small NPPs in Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar, and has identified the northern Chui region as a possible location for the plant.
The proposal comes as Kyrgyzstan resumes uranium mining after a five-year hiatus. The country has significant uranium reserves, and the resumption of mining is expected to help increase the country’s energy independence.
The planned NPP would be a significant development for Kyrgyzstan, which has struggled with power outages in recent years. The country’s energy minister, Taalaibek Ibrayev, announced in October 2024 that public education efforts were underway to inform citizens about the planned NPP.
Kyrgyzstan is not the only country in the region to be considering nuclear power. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are also moving ahead with plans for NPPs, with Kazakhstan planning to build three plants and Uzbekistan planning to build several SMRs and a large NPP.
