Uzatom, France's Framatome discuss cooperation on NPP project in Uzbekistan

TASHKENT. March 12 (Interfax) - The Uzbekistan Atomic Energy Agency (Uzatom) held negotiations with the French company Framatome on developing a strategic partnership in the context of implementing projects for constructing and operating nuclear power units in Uzbekistan.

During a meeting held in Paris, the director of Uzatom, Azim Akhmedkhadjaev, and Framatome's senior executive vice president of the Automated Control Systems business unit, Laurent Thieffry, discussed exchanging experience, technology transfer and joint work to improve the reliability and safety of nuclear facilities.

"The parties confirmed their mutual interest in deepening cooperation at all stages of the life cycle of future power units," a statement said.

Following the International Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris, Akhmedkhadjaev also discussed with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi the prospects for cooperation and the upcoming visit of an IAEA mission to the country in H2 2026 to study the progress of implementing the NPP construction project.

Framatome specializes in designing and producing equipment and supplying nuclear fuel and control systems for NPPs. The company has many years of experience cooperating in projects implemented by Russia's state corporation Rosatom. In particular, the French company has supplied automated control systems and other equipment for a number of international projects based on VVER reactors, including the under-construction Paks II NPP in Hungary and the El-Dabaa NPP in Egypt.

Atomstroyexport, the engineering division of Rosatom, and Uzatom's Department for the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants concluded a contract in May 2024 for constructing a low-capacity NPP with six reactors with a capacity of 55 MW each. The project was subsequently adjusted and now provides for the construction of two large power units based on generation 3+ VVER-1000 reactors and two power units with small RITM-200N reactors with a capacity of 55 MW each.

In October 2025, at the site of the future NPP in the Jizzakh region, work began on excavating soil for the foundation pit of the power unit with the reactor.