Today, as energy transition becomes a global consensus, nuclear energy, as a stable and clean energy source, is receiving increasing attention from more and more countries. Recently, during the "World Atomic Energy Week" held in Moscow, Uzbekistan and Russia signed two important cooperation agreements on the construction of Uzbekistan's nuclear power plants, marking a substantial stage of cooperation between the two sides in the field of nuclear energy. These two documents not only clarify the technical configuration and fuel supply arrangements of nuclear power plants, but also highlight Uzbekistan's ambition in energy structure transformation and technological innovation.

The first document is a supplementary agreement signed between Rosatom Energy Projects JSC, a subsidiary of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom), and the Uzbekistan Nuclear Power Plant Construction Administration. The agreement officially determines the overall project configuration of the nuclear power plant, which plans to construct two VVER-1000 large reactors and two RITM-200N small modular reactors. This combination is the first of its kind in the field of international nuclear power construction, reflecting the maturity of large-scale nuclear power technology and the attempt to integrate advanced technology for small reactors.

The second document focuses on nuclear fuel supply, and both parties have reached an agreement on the main terms of the nuclear fuel supply contract. According to the agreement, the Russian side will provide nuclear fuel, key spare parts, equipment installation and testing services for VVER-1000 and RITM-200N reactors, laying the foundation for the smooth operation of future nuclear power plants.

We will build an unprecedented energy project in the 'heart' of Uzbekistan - Jizak Oblast, "said Azim Ahmad Hajayev, Director of Uzbekistan's Atomic Energy Development Agency (Uzatom), at the signing ceremony." This is not only an upgrade of energy infrastructure, but also a bold combination of advanced small reactor technology and mature experience in large nuclear power plants, which will provide a demonstration for energy security and clean transformation in Central Asia

Rosatom General Manager Alexei Likhachev further pointed out that Uzbekistan will become the world's first country to simultaneously build and operate large and small modular reactors at the same site. This project not only has technological demonstration significance, but also provides a new paradigm of "multi reactor collaboration" for global nuclear power development.

Industry analysis suggests that Uzbekistan, as a country with rapidly growing energy demand in Central Asia, has actively promoted the diversification of its energy structure and reduced its dependence on natural gas in recent years. This deep cooperation with Russia in nuclear power not only helps to ensure its long-term power supply, but also reflects Russia's continuous expansion in nuclear power technology exports. In the future, with the advancement of the project, there are expected to be new opportunities for the upgrading of the domestic power system, talent cultivation, and the development of the nuclear energy related industry chain in Ukraine. Editor/Xu Shengpeng