Putin, Mirziyoyev launch construction of Uzbekistan's first nuclear plant

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Thursday launched construction of Uzbekistan’s first nuclear power plant during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, marking a new phase in bilateral energy cooperation.

Speaking at a meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin described the project as a milestone in bilateral cooperation and called the launch “a pleasant event.” The Russian president emphasized that the facility would become a large, powerful station — the first nuclear power plant of Russian design in Uzbekistan. “I know that you personally worked on this project for a very long time,” he told Mirziyoyev, adding that he was confident the Uzbek leader had chosen the most suitable option from those proposed.

Strategic energy cooperation

Mirziyoyev called the launch a “historic day” for Uzbekistan and noted that the facility would combine both small and large reactor units in a hybrid configuration. “For the first time in history, Rosatom is building a hybrid station: two small units and two large units,” he said, adding that extensive discussions had preceded the decision. The Uzbek president stressed that growing electricity demand made the project strategically important for the country’s future development.

The two leaders also discussed broader economic ties, with Putin noting that bilateral trade had increased by more than 12% last year. Mirziyoyev said trade turnover reached approximately $13 billion in 2025 and remained on track toward the previously announced goal of $20 billion annually. The nuclear project is expected to become one of the largest long-term energy cooperation initiatives between Moscow and Tashkent.