Russin owned Rosatom has just signed an agreement with Uzbekistan’s Uzatom Atomic Energy Agency to study a possible gigawatt-scale nuclear power plant featuring two or four VVER-1000 units.
The announcement of the signing came at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum and builds on the current project to build a small modular reactor plant in the Jizzah region, featuring six of Rosatom’s fifty-five megawatt RITM-200N water-cooled reactors.
Alexei Likhachev is the Rosatom Director General. He said, “The Rosatom State Corporation is pleased to be a strategic partner of Uzbekistan in the development of nuclear energy … the combination of small and large-capacity nuclear power plants can form a powerful “carbon-free energy cluster” in Uzbekistan and become a response to the country’s growing needs for electricity, as well as the basis for the development of industry and innovative industries in the country.”
Azim Akhmedkhadjaev is the Director of the Atomic Energy Agency. He said, “We consider the construction of a high-capacity NPP as a source for creating a reliable and balanced energy system capable of covering both the current and future needs of the country for electricity – environmentally friendly energy. The signing of the agreement allows us to begin active development of the key conditions for the possibility of implementing the project for the construction of a high-capacity nuclear power plant. A joint Working Group has been created that will study the main aspects of the project and assess the cost of construction.”
Almasadam Satkaliyev is the Chairman of the Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency. Likhachev and Satkaliyev met at the forum and presented an Indicative Roadmap which was approved for the planned new nuclear power plant in the country. The Indicative Roadmap sets out an timeline and also “provides for the stages of preparation and implementation of the project, including engineering and survey work, conclusion of an EPC contract and development of design documentation”.
Kazakhstan announced on Monday that it had chosen the Russian bid for its planned new nuclear power plant. Likhachev said, “We appreciate the trust shown by the Kazakh side to lead the international consortium that will build a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is our reliable historical partner in the nuclear industry.”
Satkaliyev said, “The construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan is part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure sustainable development of the country’s energy sector. We count on close and transparent cooperation with partners to ensure a high level of safety and localization of production.”
At the forum, there was also an agreement on cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy with Burkina Faso. Rosatom mentioned that it “forms the legal basis for comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy and technology. Key areas of cooperation include assistance in the creation and improvement of Burkina Faso’s nuclear infrastructure in accordance with international standards, regulation of nuclear and radiation safety issues, production and use of radioisotopes in industry, medicine and agriculture. In addition, the agreement provides for the development of joint projects in the field of radiation technology and nuclear medicine, as well as the training and retraining of specialists for the nuclear industry of Burkina Faso”.
During a Russia-Indonesia business dialogue session at the forum, there was also discussion of potential small modular reactor and floating power units. Rosatom stated that it “has developed and presented to the Indonesian leadership a concept for the development of nuclear energy based on both small and large capacity, and is ready to provide comprehensive support in the implementation of the country’s large-scale plans for the development of the nuclear industry”.
Kazakhstan Atomic Energy Agency
