Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The work on the contract for the construction of a nuclear power plant (NPP) in Uzbekistan is in its final stages. This was announced by the CEO of the state corporation Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, during the Primakov Readings forum.

According to TASS, citing Likhachev, in 2019, "Rosatom" and Uzbekistan reached agreements on all key issues.

He stated that the pandemic halted many processes; however, he added that the project in Uzbekistan has not been halted.

Alexey Likhachev noted that work on the NPP construction contract is in its final stages.

Rosatom has made additional proposals to Uzbekistan, including those related to low capacity and workforce training, the company’s head pointed out.

"The work on the contract is progressing quite intensively, and I believe that, overall, we are not far from signing the contract," Likhachev noted.

The project for the construction of an NPP in Uzbekistan involves the erection of two energy blocks with VVER-1200 type reactors. These energy blocks belong to the "3+" generation and fully comply with the modern safety requirements of the IAEA, including significantly increased reliability of modern technologies.

On 29 December 2017, an Agreement in the field of peaceful use of atomic energy was signed between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan. On 19 July 2018, a Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the establishment of the Atomic Energy Development Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan ("Uzatom" Agency) was issued.

On 7 September 2018, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan based on a Russian project. The project involves the construction of two energy blocks with VVER-1200 reactors.

By the resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from 13 October  2018, No. PP-3969, the signed agreement entered into force.

The commissioning of the first energy block of the NPP in the Republic of Uzbekistan was planned by the end of 2028.