Rosatom Budget Cuts Put Central Asian Nuclear Ambitions at Risk

Alexei Likhachev, the head of Rosatom, confirmed the entity is slashing its investment budget and targeting a ten percent reduction in operating costs over the next eighteen months. Citing a shift toward efficiency and profitability through 2030, Likhachev noted that several projects have already been abandoned or pushed back indefinitely. While the company has not released a specific list of casualties, the announcement directly threatens the ambitious nuclear agendas of Astana and Tashkent.

Kazakhstan’s plan to construct its first nuclear power plant near Lake Balkhash, awarded to Rosatom in 2025, has already faced significant delays. Similarly, Uzbekistan’s preliminary agreement for small-scale nuclear facilities now appears increasingly precarious. With the Russian energy giant Gazprom’s market capitalization dropping to a mere $25 billion, the broader Russian industrial sector is signaling a systemic lack of capital. Both Central Asian nations are already exploring alternatives, including Chinese contractors and potential collaborations with the United States on modular reactor technology, as the promise of Russian-led nuclear development fades.