Central Asia is making a shift towards integrating nuclear energy into its sustainable energy goals, a move that aligns with Fatih Birol's perspective, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Caspian Policy Center shared.
"Alongside renewables, energy efficiency, and other innovative technologies, nuclear can make a significant contribution to achieving sustainable energy goals and enhancing energy security," according to Birol.
The region's efforts now hinge on securing the necessary funding and support from international partners to bring these ambitions to fruition.
An agreement was signed on May 27 between Moscow and Tashkent to build Central Asia’s first nuclear power plant. If the plan proceeds as intended, construction could commence this summer. Russia's state nuclear company, Rosatom, will be responsible for constructing up to six nuclear reactors in Uzbekistan, each with a capacity of 55 megawatts. This project is notably smaller than the 2.4-gigawatt project proposed in 2018.
Kazakhstan is also advancing its nuclear energy agenda. This month, the Energy Ministry proposed new legislation to include nuclear power in the national energy plan, with the goal of constructing a nuclear power plant by 2035 at an estimated cost of $10-12bn. However, Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev has declared that no decision will be made without a national referendum, considering the country’s difficult nuclear history from Soviet-era nuclear weapons testing in the Semipalatinsk region, which caused severe environmental and public health issues.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are significant players in the global uranium market. Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest uranium supplier, while Kazakhstan is the largest. Despite this, none of the five former Soviet Central Asian republics currently have nuclear power plants. Both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have argued that their growing economies and the warming regional climate necessitate the development of nuclear energy.
International interest in collaborating on nuclear energy in Central Asia has been growing. China has attempted to persuade Kazakhstan to allow Chinese-owned companies to build a nuclear power plant. In April, the U.S. Department of State and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy co-hosted a workshop on civil nuclear energy, focusing on capacity-building support and expert exchanges for small modular reactors (SMR) technologies.
Russia, however, has been the most persistent in promoting nuclear energy investments in Central Asia. During a visit to Tashkent, Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev and UzAtom Director Azim Akhmedkhadzhaev signed a contract to expand cooperation. Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, countries have not cut ties with Rosatom. In 2022, Rosatom supplied around 30% of the enriched uranium bought by European Union countries and 23% purchased by U.S. utility companies.
Russia's dominance in the global nuclear fuel market is substantial, controlling over 40% of the market and 46% of global enrichment capacity. This dominance poses a challenge for the West, especially as the Biden Administration recently signed a bill banning imports of Russian-enriched uranium. This move aims to reduce reliance on the Russian economy and strengthen U.S. energy resilience.
Central Asia, with its abundant uranium supplies, presents a prime opportunity for new strategic partnerships in the nuclear energy sector. While Rosatom continues to negotiate nuclear agreements, the region is diversifying its energy portfolio. Nuclear energy provides the West with an opportunity to forge alliances with uranium-rich nations committed to a sustainable energy future, supporting the global green energy agenda, and reducing reliance on the Russian nuclear industry.
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