Uzbekistan and Japanese Firm Partner on Pioneering Nuclear-Powered Data Center

Uzbekistan and Japanese Firm Partner on Pioneering Nuclear-Powered Data Center January 22, 2026 In a landmark move for the digital infrastructure and energy sectors, Uzbekistan is set to host the world's first data center designed to be powered exclusively by a small modular reactor (SMR). This project underscores the growing global trend of integrating advanced nuclear technology to meet the surging and stable power demands of modern computing, particularly for energy-intensive applications like artificial intelligence. The Uzbekistani Atomic Energy Agency (Uzatom) has entered a strategic partnership with Japan's Muroosystems Corporation to develop the facility. The planned data center, with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW), will be located in the Jizzakh region. Its primary power source is slated to be a Russian-designed 55 MWe RITM-200N low-power reactor, with electricity delivered via a direct connection. Construction is scheduled to commence imminently, with the first concrete pour for the reactor unit planned for March and commercial operation targeted for 2029. Azim I. Akhmedkhadjaev, Director of Uzatom, highlighted the project's significance in a public statement, noting, "A key feature of this initiative is the integration of nuclear energy with digital infrastructure: the data center will be powered exclusively by SMR-generated electricity, making it the first project of its kind worldwide and setting a new standard for energy-intensive IT facilities." Muroosystems will provide critical technical consulting, safety assessments, and engineering services through its German nuclear subsidiary, Nukem Technologies, and will also manage the reactor's spent fuel. The initiative reflects a broader industry pivot. Major technology firms, including Amazon Web Services, Meta, and Google, have recently pursued investments and power purchase agreements with SMR developers. Colocation providers like Equinix have also signed deals for over 750 MW of potential advanced nuclear power. The Uzbekistan project, however, represents the most direct and dedicated coupling of an SMR to a single data center campus to date. If successfully realized, this venture could establish a new blueprint for deploying high-compute infrastructure in regions seeking carbon-neutral, reliable, and dense power sources, potentially accelerating the adoption of SMR technology within the digital economy. Source: datacenterdynamics