Russia Pushes Ahead With Uzbekistan Nuclear Plans Despite Money Troubles

By Eurasianet - Aug 18, 2026, 1:00 PM CDT Rosatom is developing specialized programs to train Uzbek personnel to operate a planned nuclear plant combining large VVER-1000 reactors with smaller RITM-200N units. A training center in Uzbekistan is planned to eventually accommodate hundreds of nuclear-industry specialists. The initiative comes as Rosatom cuts costs and postpones or abandons some investments in response to a difficult economic environment. Despite apparent financing difficulties hovering over the construction of nuclear reactors in Uzbekistan, the Russian nuclear agency Rosatom has announced it is developing a training program for Uzbek technicians who will eventually operate the plant.Rosatom specialists need to develop new, specific training modules for what is envisioned as an “integrated nuclear plant” featuring the operation of both large-scale and small modular reactors. “This requires developing training materials tailored to the specifics of small reactors, integrating knowledge from related fields, and strengthening the practical training component,” according to a statement published by Uzbekistan’s nuclear energy agency.Once methodologies are developed, a center capable of training hundreds of Uzbek technicians will be built near the site of the planned nuclear plant in the Jizzakh region, situated about 125 miles southwest of the Uzbek capital Tashkent. “This collaboration will result in a qualified workforce for the integrated nuclear power plant and the implementation of advanced Russian training methodologies, thereby establishing a long-term foundation for developing human resources within Uzbekistan’s nuclear industry,” according to the Uzbek statement. Uzbek officials did not provide any timeline for when Rosatom would be ready to launch the training program.Questions about financing have dogged Rosatom in 2026, prompting concerns about delays in the Uzbek reactor project. Observers widely believe that the Kremlin’s continuing meat-grinder campaign in Ukraine and accompanying Western sanctions are severely limiting Rosatom’s operations. In July, Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev announced cutbacks due to “poor economic conditions.” Without providing specifics, he indicated that several projects would have to be abandoned or postponed, adding that priority for continuing projects would be given to those offering the greatest chance of profitability by 2030.Rosatom officials have not indicated where the Uzbek integrated plant stands in the company’s financial calculus. The news that a training center is in the works, however, suggests that the Kremlin considers the Uzbek project to be, at the very least, geopolitically significant.By EurasianetMore Top Reads From Oilprice.comChina's Renewables Boom Faces Record Clean Power CurtailmentsLibya Power Crisis Explodes as Grid Fails AgainChevron Strikes Oil and Gas Offshore Angola in Major Discovery Download The Free Oilprice App Today Back to homepage