Senators approve Law "On use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes”

Uzbek senators considered the Law "On the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes". Speakers noted that as a result of the active investment policy aimed at expanding the existing production capacities of the country, as well as the ongoing large-scale reforms to improve the level and quality of life of the population, the need for energy resources is increasing every year. This made it necessary to provide the economy and the social sphere with efficient and reliable sources of energy.

Today the Republic depends on natural gas as a natural energy resource. The use of this source in the total electricity production comprises 85%. Taking this into account, the Government considered various options for the development of the energy sector to ensure the stable economic growth of the country. At the same time, the task of forming the nuclear power industry of the country is designated as the main direction.

This decision took into account many factors and circumstances, including the need to ensure energy security, reduce carbon emissions into the environment, the competitiveness of nuclear energy in terms of economy.

As a result, the leadership of the Republic of Uzbekistan in January 2018 adopted a resolution on the construction of a nuclear power plant in our country. In September of the same year, in Moscow, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Uzbekistan signed an Agreement on the construction of a nuclear power plant of generation “3+” consisting of two power units with an installed capacity of 2400 MW, which meets all the safety requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The construction of this facility is planned in the Forish district of Jizzakh region – in a region convenient in terms of geographical location and other necessary factors.

The law stipulates the basic concepts, defines the principles of nuclear energy, such as legal, security, priority of protecting the life and health of citizens, environment, independence of activities of bodies of state regulation of safety use of nuclear energy, openness, good faith fulfillment of international obligations, provides for the objects of its use, nuclear installations, storage facilities, nuclear materials, nuclear fuel, fuel assemblies of nuclear reactors, spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste.

The speakers noted that the law is of particular importance in terms of the development of a unified state policy and strategic direction in the field of nuclear energy development and its use. The senators approved the law.