Vučić says Uzbekistan building second nuclear plant with China

September 8, 2026 at 08:15 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said on September 8 that Uzbekistan is building two nuclear power plants, one with Russia and one with China. He made the remarks at the Uzbek-Serbian business forum in Belgrade, citing a conversation with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The statement is the first public indication of China as a partner in Uzbekistan's second nuclear project.

Key Facts

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said on September 8 that Uzbekistan is building two nuclear power plants, one with Russia and one with China.
The first nuclear power plant is being built in the Farish district of Jizzakh region with Russian participation.
The total cost of the Jizzakh nuclear power plant is $9.5 billion.
450 specialists and more than 100 units of special equipment are currently working at the construction site.
The share of domestic products in the project is estimated at 21%, or $1.9 billion.

Vučić's Statement

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on September 8 at the Uzbek-Serbian business forum in Belgrade that Uzbekistan is simultaneously implementing two nuclear projects — one with Russia and one with China. He said Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told him this during a one-on-one conversation that morning. Vučić quoted Mirziyoyev as saying: "We are building one nuclear power plant with the Russians and another with the Chinese, but that is not enough for me. Before I finish these, I will start building more. I will continue working." The Serbian leader cited Uzbekistan as an example of a country that prepares infrastructure in advance for future growth in electricity consumption. He noted that Mirziyoyev is considering the future needs of the country for data centers, artificial intelligence, innovations, and electric vehicles.

First Nuclear Project

The first nuclear power plant is being built in the Farish district of Jizzakh region with Russian participation. The total cost of the Jizzakh nuclear power plant is $9.5 billion. Currently, 450 specialists and more than 100 units of special equipment are working at the construction site. The share of domestic products in the project is estimated at 21%, or $1.9 billion. President Mirziyoyev has instructed to increase the domestic share to at least 30% and to transfer 65% of construction and installation work to national enterprises.

Second Nuclear Project

Vučić's statement is the first public indication of China as a partner in Uzbekistan's second nuclear power plant project. Uzbek authorities had previously confirmed preparations for the construction of a second nuclear power plant but had not disclosed the partner country. In August, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that Uzbekistan is conducting extensive preparation for the second nuclear power plant project. The location, capacity, and timeline of the second project have not been officially disclosed.