Moscow to Enrich Uzbek Uranium
Moscow to Enrich Uzbek Uranium
Tashkent looks set to accept a Russian proposal to enrich Uzbek uranium at a Siberian plant because the deal will give it a guaranteed market at good prices, NBCentralAsia analysts say.
Visiting Tashkent on July 4, Russian deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov suggested that Uzbekistan, which has significant reserves of uranium, could send the mineral to be processed into nuclear fuel at a Russian facility in Angarsk, in the Irkutsk region.
According to Ivanov, this arrangement would mean that “the commercial benefits for Uzbekistan would be higher than from selling the raw ore”.
The International Uranium Enrichment Centre at Angarsk was set up by Russia and Kazakstan in May this year, and Ukraine has also signed up.
Uzbekistan has the seventh largest reserves in the world. No national data are available but Kazak nuclear agency estimates that Uzbek reserves are over 180,000 tons. The country mines 2,000 tons of ore a year at almost 30 working mines, which have reserves of 55,000 tons.
NBCentralAsia experts say enriching uranium in Russia will be to Uzbekistan;s advantage as long as it gets to sell the finished product.
Economic expert Petr Svoik believes the scheme will give the Uzbeks greater access to world markets as well as higher profits.
“For all the environmental fears, uranium-based nuclear energy not only has a great future, it has a better future than any other kind of energy,” Svoik believes. “And if Uzbekistan becomes part of this international cooperative venture, things will look very promising.”
Uzbekistan currently has supply contracts in place with South Korea and Japan. It will sell 300 tons a year to the latter country starting this year, and then start supplying the South Koreans from 2010.
Russia is already present in the Uzbek nuclear industry, particiopating in the development of the Aktau uranium deposit in the Kyzyl Kum desert of northeastern Uzbekistan. Total reserves at Aktau are put at 4,400 tons of ore.
Observers say that if the Angarsk enrichment deal is signed, Russia will have a substantially stronger position in the Central Asian uranium market.
“Russia will control supply, with all of Uzbekistan’s ore in its hands,” said political scientist and former diplomat Tashpulat Yoldashev.
At the same time, he said, selling enriched uranium to Russia at a good price will allow Uzbekistan to repay its sovereign debt to Moscow more quickly.
Iskandar Khudoiberganov, former head of the Centre for Democratic Initiatives in Tashkent, said Uzbekistan needs to conduct a thorough analysis of the economics of the proposed enrichment scheme.
“In enriching Uzbek uranium, Russia is pursuing its own interests. But how equal will this partnership be?” he asked. “It is no secret that Russia [makes a substantial profit] from the sale of Uzbek natural gas, and it will be no different when it comes to uranium.”
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Visiting Tashkent on July 4, Russian deputy prime minister Sergei Ivanov suggested that Uzbekistan, which has significant reserves of uranium, could send the mineral to be processed into nuclear fuel at a Russian facility in Angarsk, in the Irkutsk region.
According to Ivanov, this arrangement would mean that “the commercial benefits for Uzbekistan would be higher than from selling the raw ore”.
The International Uranium Enrichment Centre at Angarsk was set up by Russia and Kazakstan in May this year, and Ukraine has also signed up.
Uzbekistan has the seventh largest reserves in the world. No national data are available but Kazak nuclear agency estimates that Uzbek reserves are over 180,000 tons. The country mines 2,000 tons of ore a year at almost 30 working mines, which have reserves of 55,000 tons.
NBCentralAsia experts say enriching uranium in Russia will be to Uzbekistan;s advantage as long as it gets to sell the finished product.
Economic expert Petr Svoik believes the scheme will give the Uzbeks greater access to world markets as well as higher profits.
“For all the environmental fears, uranium-based nuclear energy not only has a great future, it has a better future than any other kind of energy,” Svoik believes. “And if Uzbekistan becomes part of this international cooperative venture, things will look very promising.”
Uzbekistan currently has supply contracts in place with South Korea and Japan. It will sell 300 tons a year to the latter country starting this year, and then start supplying the South Koreans from 2010.
Russia is already present in the Uzbek nuclear industry, particiopating in the development of the Aktau uranium deposit in the Kyzyl Kum desert of northeastern Uzbekistan. Total reserves at Aktau are put at 4,400 tons of ore.
Observers say that if the Angarsk enrichment deal is signed, Russia will have a substantially stronger position in the Central Asian uranium market.
“Russia will control supply, with all of Uzbekistan’s ore in its hands,” said political scientist and former diplomat Tashpulat Yoldashev.
At the same time, he said, selling enriched uranium to Russia at a good price will allow Uzbekistan to repay its sovereign debt to Moscow more quickly.
Iskandar Khudoiberganov, former head of the Centre for Democratic Initiatives in Tashkent, said Uzbekistan needs to conduct a thorough analysis of the economics of the proposed enrichment scheme.
“In enriching Uzbek uranium, Russia is pursuing its own interests. But how equal will this partnership be?” he asked. “It is no secret that Russia [makes a substantial profit] from the sale of Uzbek natural gas, and it will be no different when it comes to uranium.”
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
