BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 2. Uzbekistan plans to increase the share of locally produced goods and equipment in its $9.5 billion integrated nuclear power plant project in the Jizzakh region to at least 30%.
This was announced in a statement by the press service of the Uzbek president, citing remarks by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during a visit to the construction site of the facility and a planned satellite town for nuclear industry workers.
According to the information, the construction of the integrated nuclear power plant entered an active phase on June 4. Work has so far included the completion of excavation for the reactor building, with more than 1 million cubic meters of soil removed. A total of 916 cubic meters of concrete has been poured for the foundation slab, while earthworks have been completed across 100 hectares at the construction and installation base.
About 450 workers and specialists and more than 100 pieces of specialized equipment are currently involved in construction.
The project is expected to use around 3,000 types of products and equipment. Preliminary estimates put the share of local products at 21%, or about $1.9 billion. Mirziyoyev said the figure was insufficient and instructed officials to raise local content to at least 30%.
“Quality and safety of construction must remain an unconditional priority, and all work must fully comply with IAEA requirements and international standards,” the statement said.
The president also ordered that national companies carry out 65% of construction and installation work and that the project involve about 7,000 local workers and specialists.
To support localization, it was proposed to establish a 200-hectare industrial zone in Farish district focused on construction materials. At least 100 joint ventures are expected to operate there, while technology transfer would enable local production across 15 areas.
Mirziyoyev approved the proposal and instructed officials to submit a draft decision by the end of the year providing tax and customs incentives for companies operating in the industrial zone.
The project also includes extensive external infrastructure. Plans call for the construction of 388 kilometers of power transmission lines, a 110-kilovolt substation, 21 kilometers of drinking-water pipelines, 120 kilometers of technical water-supply networks, 39.5 kilometers of roads and 11 kilometers of railway lines. The president called for local goods and services to account for 60%-70% of procurement for these infrastructure projects.
A comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assessment mission conducted from June 22-26 gave a high assessment of the development of Uzbekistan’s national nuclear infrastructure, according to the presentation.
The government is also developing a satellite town for workers, specialists and their families. The 200-hectare town is planned to include around 10,000 apartments for nearly 33,000 residents, with 3,000 apartments planned during the first phase.
The town will feature energy-efficient high-rise buildings, schools, preschools, healthcare and sports facilities, cultural venues, recreational areas and extensive green spaces. Modern insulation technologies, alternative energy sources and smart lighting systems are planned for the development.
Moreover, It was proposed to establish a joint venture with leading international engineering companies to strengthen project management, technical oversight and independent reviews of technological solutions. Around 1,000 industry standards are also expected to be adapted to Uzbekistan’s national system.
Work is also underway to prepare qualified personnel for the future plant. Since 2023, 216 students have graduated from the Tashkent branch of Russia’s National Research Nuclear University, with 83 continuing their master’s and postgraduate studies at universities in China, Hungary, France, Italy and South Korea. Another 100 specialists are currently being trained at four Uzbek universities.
The scale of the project and its localization requirements indicate that the nuclear plant is being positioned not only as a major source of future baseload electricity but also as a catalyst for domestic industrial production, engineering capabilities and workforce development.
Increasing local content from 21% to at least 30% would raise the value of domestically supplied goods from the preliminary $1.9 billion level to roughly $2.85 billion, assuming the overall project cost remains unchanged. This would represent an additional potential localization volume of about $950 million.
Mirziyoyev instructed officials to ensure high construction quality and safety, meet project deadlines, expand the participation of domestic companies, and coordinate infrastructure development and workforce-training programs.
