Uzbekistan Scales Back Nuclear Cooperation With Russia
Back on June 4, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian leader Vladimir Putin were all smiles amid the ceremonial groundbreaking for the construction of Uzbekistan’s first cluster of nuclear reactors, to be built by Russia’s nuclear entity Rosatom. “I am confident that you have chosen the best option for Uzbekistan out of all those offered,” Putin told Mirziyoyev at the time. Just three…
On September 2, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced plans to form a joint venture with international engineering firms for the construction of Uzbekistan's first cluster of nuclear reactors. Rosatom, Russia's nuclear entity, was notably absent from the announcement. This move comes just three months after the two leaders formally broke ground on the project in June.
The partnership shift appears to be driven by Uzbekistan's growing dissatisfaction with Rosatom and a desire to increase local involvement in the project. Uzbek authorities had previously delayed the project's start and claimed extensive preparatory work had been done for a second nuclear plant site, though specifics remain unclear.
The $9.5 billion project, aimed at constructing two large reactors and two smaller ones, has faced financing challenges. Russia's previous financing proposal was reportedly unacceptable to Tashkent, prompting Uzbekistan to seek a higher share of the project's construction for local contractors and workers. The move signals a strain in Uzbek-Russian relations, with Uzbekistan likely seeking greater autonomy and control over the nuclear energy project.
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