The rapid economic growth in Central Asian nations is driving demand for new large-scale electricity generation facilities. Despite abundant energy resources, including hydrocarbons and hydropower, recent developments suggest that the region’s focus will increasingly shift towards developing nuclear energy.

On June 20, during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Almasadam Satkaliyev, Chairman of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Atomic Energy, met with Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom to discuss building a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Kazakhstan. 

During the meeting, a roadmap was approved outlining the project's preparation and execution stages, including engineering surveys and of design documentation.

On the same day, Rosatom and Uzbekistan's Agency for the Development of Atomic Energy (Uzatom) signed an agreement to explore developing a large-capacity NPP in Uzbekistan.

The initiative plans to build two power units of 1,000 MW each, with the option to expand to four units. A joint working group has been formed to examine key aspects of the project, estimate construction costs, and support decision-making.

When signing the agreement, Likhachev said Russia would build “the best stations on the planet” in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Kazakhstan’s nuclear goals

A week earlier, Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency announced that it had finalised the selection process for the consortium leader to build the country’s first NPP.

This followed negotiations with top global reactor technology suppliers, including site visits to their production facilities. The shortlist comprised of Russia’s Rosatom, China National Nuclear Corporation of China (CNNC), Électricité de France (France), and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (South Korea).

The companies submitted detailed technical and commercial proposals covering estimated construction costs, project timelines, financing models, strategies for localising equipment and construction, and opportunities for collaboration in the nuclear fuel cycle.

The Commission for the Development of Nuclear Industry of Kazakhstan concluded that Rosatom’s proposal was the most beneficial, followed by China’s CNNC in second place, while France's EDF and South Korea's KHNP jointly in third.

The agency noted that Russia and China are building more than 20 reactors domestically and abroad, while France and South Korea are building just two each. It stated that Russia and China have “greater experience in participating in international consortia” and are “better able to integrate equipment from different manufacturers into a single project.”

Based on Rosatom's proposals, efforts are underway to attract state export financing funded by the Russian Federation. The Agency will continue working with international partners to establish an effective consortium for Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant.

Plans to build the facility were first announced in 2019. Four years later, in 2023, expected cost for the project ranged between $10 billion to $15 billion.

Last year, a referendum showed that 71.12 percent of participants endorsed developing an NPP in the country, and the plant is now scheduled to be built near Lake Balkhash in the Almaty region.

In January, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasised the need to expedite the construction of the first NPP, with government plans to establish a nuclear cluster and build two additional plants.

Satkaliyev announced plans to sign a separate framework agreement with China for nuclear cooperation, saying, "We want to see Chinese technology in Kazakhstan for the construction of another nuclear power plant, and ... our next main priority is cooperation with China."

What are Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan pursuing?

Similar developments are underway in Uzbekistan, which invited Rosatom to propose nuclear energy projects in 2018. An initial agreement signed then set the framework for cooperation on designing, constructing, commissioning, operating, and decommissioning a station with two power units.

By May 2024, Uzatom and Rosatom had finalised a contract featuring six reactors with a total electrical capacity of 330 MW. However, reports suggest this may be revised to an additional two units of 55 MW each, totalling 110 MW.

This proposed NPP would be located in the Tuzkan Lake area of the Jizzakh region, close to the Kazakhstani border.

In March 2025, Uzatom Director Azim Akhmedkhadjaev stated that Uzbekistan requires high-capacity NPPs to satisfy electricity demand, traditional fossil fuels alone are insufficient to ensure stable and sustainable energy supply for the country’s growing population and industrial sectors.

"Considering the trends and volume of consumption that we see every year, then yes, we need to build large nuclear power plants for all of this," he said, noting that the estimated cost for a large-capacity nuclear power plant with two power units would be around $6 billion.

At the end of May, the President of Uzbekistan held a meeting to discuss establishing and constructing a large-capacity NPP. In April, Alexey Likhachev stated, "Not if, but when the leadership of Uzbekistan returns to the topic of a large nuclear power plant, we will already have proposals ready."

Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan has decided to construct an NPP due to a sharp rise in its electricity deficit. The country is working to determine the required capacity and location for the project, with Rosatom considered the leading candidate for a future contract. However, no timeline has yet been set for the project’s implementation.

Nuclear energy is emerging as a key strategic focus for energy development in Central Asia. As a component of green technologies, nuclear power is expected to meet the needs of at least three countries in the region, supporting sustainable development and economic growth.