The first in Central Asia Russia intends to build a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan

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President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that Russia will build a small nuclear power plant in his country, as the first project of its kind in Central Asia in the post-Soviet era.

Mirziyoyev said during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, yesterday, Monday, that Tashkent is interested in purchasing more oil and gas from Moscow, in a retreat from a decades-old practice in which Moscow imported hydrocarbons from Central Asia.

He described Putin's visit to his country as "historic," considering that it "heralds the beginning of a new era in the comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance relations between our two countries."

For his part, the Russian President, who is visiting, described Tashkent as Moscow's "strategic partner and reliable ally." Putin said that Russia will put $400 million into a joint investment fund worth $500 million to finance projects in Uzbekistan.

Documents published by the Kremlin stated that the Russian state nuclear company Rosatom will build about 6 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 55 megawatts each in Uzbekistan. None of the five former Soviet Central Asian republics have nuclear power plants, although Uzbekistan and neighboring Kazakhstan, both uranium producers, have long said their developing economies need them.