Excavation has begun for Uzbekistan’s first RITM-200N small modular reactor (SMR), marking a major milestone in the country’s nuclear energy program. About 1.5 million cubic metres of soil will be removed to create a 13-metre-deep foundation for the project, which is being developed in partnership with Rosatom. A ceremony launching the works was attended by officials from Atomstroyexport, Uzatom, and the Jizzakh regional government.