TASHKENT, October 7. /TASS/. Uzbekistan will build a large nuclear power plant (NPP) in the future, but first it should build a low power NPP, which is necessary for training industry specialists, Uzbekistan's Minister of Energy, Jorabek Mirzamahmudov told reporters.

"Our base [power] generation consists of thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants. Our goal is to build a large NPP in the future," he said in a Lolazor video podcast, answering a question from journalists about the prospects for building a large NPP.

In his opinion, it is necessary to develop nuclear energy in the country from small capacities, which will make it possible to train specialists for the industry.

"But we will still need a large reactor. We are striving to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and this cannot be achieved without a nuclear power plant. The United States has revised its program. America has the largest number of reactors in the world, Europe, Korea, and Japan have also resumed their programs. The whole world is moving in this direction," the minister stressed.

In September 2018, Uzbekistan and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of a nuclear power plant on the territory of the republic. Under that agreement, the Rosatom state corporation is to build a nuclear power plant with two power units of the 3+ generation with VVER-1200 reactor units. As the priority location for the construction of the plant the parties chose the site near Lake Tuzkan in the Jizzakh region.

In May, an export contract for the construction of a low-power nuclear power plant was signed in Tashkent. It envisages the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh region of Uzbekistan with a capacity of 330 MW (six RITM-200N reactors with a capacity of 55 MW each). Rosatom is the general contractor for the construction of the plant, while local companies are also to be involved in the project. In early September, Uzatom and Atomstroyexport (Rosatom's engineering division) signed a protocol on the commencement of work at the construction site of the plant.