Share :

Download PDF :

The Times of Central Asia (23 June 2026)

Aliya Haidar

Uzbekistan has poured concrete for its first nuclear power plant, while Kazakhstan has signed a $16.5 billion agreement for a two-reactor facility near Lake Balkhash and approved a site for a second plant. Kazakhstan’s long-term strategy calls for at least three nuclear power plants by 2050, with a fourth possible.

Both governments are presenting nuclear power as a way to meet rapidly growing electricity demand and strengthen energy security. Yet the projects are advancing at different speeds and are reviving questions over water use, cross-border safety, financing, and long-term reliance on Russian technology and credit.

Click for more