The key facts

  • The resolution was registered by the Ministry of Justice on 5 November 2026 under number 3967
  • Before NPP construction begins, reactor design documentation with the characteristics of safety systems is required
  • The impact of possible accidents on air, water, soil, flora, fauna and public health must be assessed in advance

New rules for the nuclear power industry

The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan approved a resolution of the Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety establishing safety requirements for reactor installations of nuclear power plants. The document was registered by the Ministry of Justice on 5 November 2026 under number 3967, and it enters into force on 7 February 2027 — meaning NPP operators and developers have about three months to bring their processes into line with the new rules.

What exactly the regulator requires

According to the resolution, before construction of a nuclear power plant begins, design documentation for the reactor installation must be developed. It must clearly define the systems important for safety, their reliability indicators, service life, and means of monitoring technical condition. Making changes to the reactor design, the technical characteristics of safety systems, or the plant's operating conditions without corresponding changes to the design documentation is prohibited.

Accident assessment and control at all stages

A separate block of requirements concerns possible accidents: their impact on atmospheric air, surface and groundwater, soil, flora and fauna, as well as public health, must be studied in advance, and the design must include measures to prevent and mitigate these consequences. Systems important for safety undergo control and testing at the stages of development, installation and commissioning, and their technical condition is checked regularly during operation.

Procedure for commissioning a unit and personnel work

When an NPP unit is switched to electricity generation mode, the reactor's power is raised in stages: at each stage, planned tests are carried out with an analysis of the results. Nuclear hazardous work is allowed only with the reactor shut down, under a special programme with defined safety measures and a designated responsible person. Special emergency drills are provided to prepare personnel for emergency situations.

Context

The resolution formalises safety requirements at a time when Uzbekistan is advancing its nuclear power plant construction project: the document covers the entire cycle — from reactor design development to operation and personnel training. The full text of the resolution has been published in the national legislation database. The Kun.uz report does not specify to which particular NPP project and at what stage of construction the new rules will be applied.