Uzbekistan is turning its first integrated nuclear power project into a catalyst for large scale urban, industrial and infrastructure development in Jizzakh region, opening a new chapter for Central Asia’s construction and manufacturing sectors. The country is using the partnership with Russia’s nuclear industry not only to build a power station, but also to redesign how energy efficient housing, building materials production and engineering services are organized at a macroregional level.
Energy workers city doubles in size with focus on efficient construction
The planned city for nuclear power plant personnel in Jizzakh region will be expanded from 100 to 200 hectares, under a project presented on 2 September and approved by the president of Uzbekistan. The settlement is designed as a modern, energy conscious community for highly qualified specialists and their families, with a clear emphasis on quality of life, comfort and sustainable construction practices.
On the enlarged territory, developers plan to build energy efficient multi storey residential buildings with ten thousand apartments, intended to house almost thirty three thousand residents. During the first stage, around three thousand apartments will be constructed, creating immediate demand for construction services, finishing materials and interior solutions. The concept also includes schools and preschools, healthcare facilities, sports and cultural venues, all designed as energy saving buildings that can showcase advanced architectural and engineering approaches.
Construction will rely on modern thermal insulation technologies, alternative energy sources and smart lighting systems. This combination turns the new city into a large scale demonstration platform for climate responsive design, intelligent building management and innovative materials – areas where international suppliers of façades, insulation, lighting, HVAC, smart home systems, furniture and interior elements can find substantial opportunities.
Integrated nuclear project enters active phase and boosts local industry
The integrated nuclear power plant in Farish district of Jizzakh region, valued at nine point five billion United States dollars, moved into an active phase of construction on 4 June 2026. Work on the reactor building excavation has been completed, with more than one million cubic metres of soil removed, and the foundation slab section already contains hundreds of cubic metres of concrete. Earthworks on the construction and installation base cover an area of 100 hectares, and around 450 workers and specialists, supported by over one hundred units of heavy machinery, are currently engaged on site.
The station will consist of four power units – two large units equipped with VVER type reactors of one gigawatt each and two smaller units based on RITM technology with a capacity of fifty five megawatts each. The total planned capacity of the complex is 2.1 gigawatts. Commissioning of the units is scheduled for the period from 2029 to 2035, and by 2035 the plant is expected to generate more than fifteen billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually, covering a significant share of Uzbekistan’s current electricity consumption. This additional baseload capacity is set to stabilize the energy supply for industry and urban development, de risk long term investments, and support expansion of energy intensive manufacturing, including production of building materials and home appliances.
The project is being implemented with the participation of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, positioning Uzbekistan as one of the region’s most ambitious energy infrastructure developers. The scale and strategic nature of the project inevitably draw in a wide range of local and international contractors in engineering, construction, logistics and equipment supply, turning Jizzakh into a focal point for cross border business cooperation.
Industrial zone for building materials to raise localization levels
The president of Uzbekistan has deemed the current share of local products in the nuclear project – estimated at around twenty one percent, or 1.9 billion United States dollars – insufficient. New targets call for increasing this figure to at least thirty percent of the project’s value, ensuring that national enterprises carry out about sixty five percent of construction and installation works and that around seven thousand local workers and specialists are involved.
To achieve these objectives, the authorities propose creating a dedicated industrial zone on 200 hectares of land in Farish district, specializing in the production of construction materials. The zone is expected to host at least one hundred joint ventures and to localize production in fifteen different product lines through technology transfer. This approach is designed to pull advanced technologies and partners into Uzbekistan, deepen value chains within the country and reduce dependence on imported building materials.
By the end of the year, a draft decision on tax and customs incentives for companies operating in the zone is to be submitted for approval. Preferential treatment for industrial park residents will aim to improve project economics, accelerate payback periods and sharpen the investment case for foreign manufacturers looking to establish production of cement, concrete products, insulation, glazing, finishing materials, sanitary ware, floor coverings and other construction related goods directly in Uzbekistan, with access to Central Asian and neighbouring markets.
Large scale engineering and transport infrastructure with high local content
External engineering infrastructure for the nuclear station will also be extensive. Plans include 388 kilometres of power transmission lines, a 110 kilovolt substation, 21 kilometres of drinking water pipelines, 120 kilometres of technical water pipelines, 39.5 kilometres of roads and 11 kilometres of railways. These facilities will not only serve the power plant, but also upgrade the wider region’s connectivity and logistics capacity.
The head of state has stressed the need to ensure a local content share of 60 to 70 percent in the construction of these external facilities, both in terms of materials and services. This will significantly increase demand for domestically produced concrete, steel structures, road building materials, pipes and cable products, and will encourage local engineering and construction companies to adopt international standards. The resulting networks will improve access to the new city and industrial zone, making them more attractive locations for warehouses, manufacturing plants, hotels and service businesses.
To enhance project management, strengthen technical oversight and provide independent assessment of technological solutions, a proposal has been made to create a joint enterprise involving leading foreign engineering companies. Such a vehicle would help align project practices with global benchmarks, facilitate knowledge transfer into Uzbek engineering firms and give foreign partners a direct role in shaping long term infrastructure quality.
Regulatory framework, standards and skilled workforce
Regulatory and institutional capacity building is another pillar of the project. Measures have been defined to adapt and introduce around one thousand sectoral standards into the national system, bringing Uzbekistan’s construction and nuclear related regulations closer to international practice. The expanding mandates of the Uzatom agency and the Directorate for nuclear power plant construction are prompting a phased strengthening of their organizational and human resources.
High quality and safety in construction have been emphasized as non negotiable priorities, with the requirement that all works comply fully with International Atomic Energy Agency guidance and international standards. A comprehensive assessment mission by the agency, carried out in June 2026, gave high marks to Uzbekistan’s level of nuclear infrastructure development, sending a positive signal to global investors about the country’s ability to manage complex, technology intensive projects.
Targeted training of future operators, engineers and radiation safety specialists is already under way. Since 2023, 216 students have graduated from the Tashkent branch of the Russian National Research Nuclear University. Among them, 83 continue their studies at the master’s and doctoral levels in leading universities in China, Hungary, France, Italy and the Republic of Korea, while another 100 specialists are being trained in four higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. This creates a pool of professionals capable of managing the plant and related infrastructure, and establishes a bridge between Uzbek technical education and international academic centres.
Strategic implications for international construction and interior companies
For international companies in furniture, construction, interior and exterior manufacturing, design and architecture, Uzbekistan’s nuclear power and urban development program presents a rare combination of scale, policy support and long term visibility. The new city near Tuzkan lake, with its ten thousand planned apartments and a full set of social facilities, will require extensive interior fit outs, public space design, landscaping, hospitality services and retail infrastructure. Energy efficient and smart building concepts will reward suppliers of advanced façades, insulation, windows, lighting, modular furniture and integrated interior solutions that can meet both aesthetic and performance requirements.
The industrial zone for building materials offers a gateway for foreign manufacturers to establish joint production, share technology and secure a foothold in Central Asia’s growing construction market, under preferential tax and customs regimes. High localization targets and infrastructure investments create stable demand for both basic construction materials and high value finishes. At the same time, the upgraded transport and utility networks around the nuclear site will improve access to regional markets, while the strengthening of standards, regulatory institutions and technical education reduces project risk for long term investors. Together, these factors position Jizzakh region and Uzbekistan more broadly as an emerging hub for sophisticated construction, urban development and interior solutions in Central Asia.
