Foreign firms may vet Russia-built nuclear station in Uzbekistan
Tashkent is considering a new joint venture with leading foreign engineering companies to improve management and independent supervision of its $9.5bn nuclear power station currently under construction.
The proposal emerged during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s review of construction progress at the plant in the Jizzakh region on 2 September.
«To improve project management, strengthen technical control and conduct an independent review of technological solutions, it was proposed to create a joint venture,» the presidential press service said.
No details have been released about who owns the venture, what its responsibilities are, or when it will launch. The wording implies an additional tier of project management and technical review rather than a replacement of the Russian reactor supplier.
Uzbekistan has not named a separate operating company, but the president’s statement said Uzbek operators, engineers and radiation-safety specialists were being trained to «manage the station» once it is completed.
It also calls for more staffing and institutional capacity at state nuclear agency Uzatom and the construction directorate.
Read more: Uzbekistan launches construction of nuclear power plant with Rosatom
Rosatom builds, Uzbekistan runs
The general contractor for the project is Atomstroyexport, an engineering unit of Rosatom. Its client in Uzbekistan is the state-owned Directorate for Nuclear Power Plant Construction, under the Uzatom agency. The initial construction contract was signed in 2024 and expanded in 2026.
The current design features two 1,000-megawatt VVER-1000 units and two smaller 55MW RITM-200N reactors. Rosatom will be responsible for the Russian reactor technology and construction of the core station, while Uzbek and other foreign companies may be involved in local materials, infrastructure and non-nuclear equipment.
Read more: Uzbekistan sets emergency radiation rules for future nuclear plants
Funding gap may become a factor
The plant’s agreed cost currently stands at $9.5bn. Uzatom expects external borrowing to cover 85–90% of that amount — equivalent to roughly $8.1bn–$8.6bn — and has named the BRICS New Development Bank, international financial institutions and partner countries as possible funding sources.
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a preferential Russian export loan to Uzbekistan, but the value and terms of the loan were not disclosed in his announcement. Uzatom has said Russian financing remains an option if the terms are competitive, and talks with other lenders are ongoing.
The nuclear project also sits inside a much larger economic relationship. Putin put accumulated Russian capital investment in Uzbekistan at more than $9bn in 2024, while Mirziyoyev said in June 2026 that the bilateral portfolio of current and planned projects exceeded $50bn.
