Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Azim Akhmedkhadjayev, Director of the Agency for Atomic Energy Development under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan (Uzatom), discussed in an interview with the Azerbaijani publication Trend the development of a strategy for managing spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste, and the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

The project has been developed in accordance with national legal frameworks and is currently undergoing coordination with relevant ministries and agencies.

Akhmedkhadjayev mentioned that Uzbekistan is considering using domestically mined natural uranium as raw material for long-term nuclear fuel supply contracts. This would help regulate fuel costs for the country’s nuclear power plants, thereby reducing the cost of electricity generation.

Regarding the progress of the small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power plant construction, Akhmedkhadjayev reported that comprehensive monitoring of natural conditions at the construction site is underway. This includes aerometeorological control, studying water resource characteristics, monitoring seismic activity, and tracking ground movements. All activities are conducted following the recommendations of the IAEA experts after their SEED mission in 2022.

Preparatory works are in progress under the contract, and it is expected that the first unit of the nuclear power plant will begin operations 60 months after construction begins, with each subsequent unit being commissioned at 6-month intervals.

The nuclear power plant construction project is part of Uzbekistan’s long-term strategy to ensure energy security and transition to more environmentally friendly energy sources.