Uzbekistan considers participation in the international MBIR reactor project

Uzbekistan is preparing to take a strategic step towards active participation in international scientific and nuclear cooperation. Until the end of this year, the country can officially join the international consortium for the construction and operation of a multi-purpose fast neutron research reactor (MBIR), which is being implemented at the Russian scientific and engineering Center in Dimitrovgrad.

The MBIR project is one of the most ambitious scientific installations in its category. Initiated in 2015, it is aimed at conducting applied and fundamental research in the field of nuclear technologies, testing new materials and developing technologies for new generation nuclear power plants. The 150 MW reactor will be the most powerful fast-neutron research reactor in the world.

According to the latest information, the number of project participants has reached 20 states and international organizations. Currently, the possibility of joining the consortium of several other countries, including Uzbekistan, Belarus and China, is being discussed. One of the recent participants was the Vietnamese side, which confirms the growing interest in the project from developing nuclear programs.

An international scientific platform is already being formed on the basis of the reactor under construction, which will be used for joint research, data exchange and training of specialists. Participation in this project opens up access to advanced technologies for Uzbekistan, as well as creates an opportunity to integrate the national scientific base into international research processes.

Uzbekistan's potential participation in the consortium is not only a matter of scientific status, but also a component of the country's long-term energy strategy. Against the background of efforts to form its own nuclear power industry, Uzbekistan is actively expanding nuclear partnerships, concluding agreements on scientific and technical cooperation and preparing a personnel base.

It is expected that at the next stage a roadmap will be signed defining the directions of cooperation in the nuclear industry for the next five years. This creates potential for Uzbekistan to develop closed-loop nuclear fuel cycle technologies, manage nuclear materials, and develop radiation safety systems.

MBIR is able to become a central element of the global scientific ecosystem in the nuclear industry, offering a platform not only for traditional participants in the nuclear market, but also for new states looking for ways to safely and technologically develop their energy sector. If joined, Uzbekistan will have unique access to the pilot infrastructure, as well as the opportunity to train and train national specialists in the framework of international programs.