Uzbekistan is working with the country’s regulator, the State Committee of Industrial Safety, on a legal framework for new nuclear as it forges ahead with plans for its first commercial nuclear power plants.

Jurabek Mirzamahmudov first deputy minister of energy and head of the state nuclear agency Uzatom, told a World Nuclear Association webinar that talks were also continuing with Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom on a draft EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) contract for the Russia-supplied reactors.

Mr Mirzamahmudov said the decision to build nuclear plants was made in 2018 and the government “is fully committed” to the plans. He said Uzatom is working closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency and had asked for an agency mission to visit the country before the end of the year.