New radioactive waste repository may be built in Jizzakh region 

A repository of radioactive waste may appear in the Jizzakh region. This was announced by President of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan Bekhzod Yuldashev, Kun.uz correspondent reports.

“We want to raise with UzAtom the issue of creating a new republican radioactive waste disposal facility in the Jizzakh region, closer to the place where the NPP will be built,” Yuldashev said.

Uzbekistan already has many years of experience in the radioactive waste management. The Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences has a republican point for the disposal of radioactive waste.

It is possible that during the construction of the NPP in Uzbekistan, radioactive waste storage facilities will be built on its territory. The station will consist of two VVER-1200 power units of the “3+” generation with a capacity of 1,200 MW each. The commissioning of the first power unit is scheduled for 2028, the second – until 2030. The site near Tuzkan Lake in the Farish district, Jizzakh region, was chosen as the optimal location for the NPP construction.

According to UzAtom, various options for cooperation in the field of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste management are currently being worked out with Rosatom. Specific cooperation mechanisms in this area will be governed by future agreements and contracts.

It is planned that the SNF of the future NPP will be transported to Russia for reprocessing. During reprocessing, all valuable nuclear material will be extracted, and the remainder will be solidified by evaporation and pressing, and subsequently will be transported back to the territory of Uzbekistan, since in accordance with Russian legislation, the import of radioactive waste into the country is prohibited.