Uzbekistan's Energy Minister Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov revealed in an interview with the Lolazor podcast that the country plans to build a large nuclear power plant (NPP) by 2040, a move seen as an integral part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality, despite the momentum of renewable energy (RES).
Regarding the safety of future nuclear power plants, Minister Mirzamahmudov gave a positive answer, mentioning that the project team has fully learned the lessons of the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear power plant accidents and will use the most advanced technology to ensure safety. "The risk of radiation leakage has been reduced to a minimum thanks to our multilevel safety system," the minister stressed.
He further explained that the reactor is equipped with an automatic cooling system that is capable of continuous operation for 72 hours without manual operation in the event of a power outage. In addition, the material in the reactor solidifies quickly in an emergency, which provides us with an additional level of safety. At present, a small nuclear power plant project in the Gizak region in cooperation with the Russian State Atomic Energy Company (Rosatom) has been officially launched.
Minister Mirzamahmudov said: "The IAEA has carried out rigorous inspections of the site and confirmed that it is in full compliance with all safety requirements." Currently, the project team is working intensively on a feasibility study to determine the final cost of the project. It is expected that obtaining the necessary permits will take one to two years, while the entire construction process is expected to take about five years. The first small nuclear power plant reactor is scheduled to start up in 2030, followed by a new reactor every six months.Editor/Zhang Liyuan
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