Uzbekistan commences construction of its first nuclear power plant

Tashkent (ANTARA) - A ceremony marking the commencement of construction for the first nuclear power plant (NPP) in Uzbekistan was held in the Jizzakh region on Thursday evening, according to the presidential press service of Uzbekistan. The ceremony was conducted via video link connecting the construction site in central Uzbekistan with St. Petersburg, Russia, where Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly issued the order to begin the construction of the plant’s first power unit. Mirziyoyev stated that once the plant reaches its full design capacity, the NPP will contribute significantly to the country’s electricity production. The construction of the plant and preparations for its operation are being carried out in accordance with the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the presidential press service noted. Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, head of Uzbekistan’s nuclear energy development agency, Uzatom, revealed that the base cost of the project is estimated to reach US$9.5 billion.