Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan

In international practice, organizations that provide scientific support to regulatory bodies are known as TSOs — Technical and Scientific Support Organizations. The most important state decisions in the field of safety, including licensing processes, are made on the basis of rigorous expert assessments and laboratory conclusions provided by such centers.

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan: a fundamental scientific foundation for regulatory decisions

Uzbekistan has taken an important institutional step in this area. By the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers dated January 21, 2025, the legal and practical foundations of the state institution “Scientific and Technical Center for Radiation and Nuclear Safety” under the Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety were strengthened.

The practical significance of this can be seen in a recent historic event: a permit was recently issued for the use of the site of the country’s first small modular nuclear power plant, which is being constructed in Jizzakh region. According to international requirements, the license is issued by the Committee itself. However, decisions of such high responsibility are not made without strong justification. Such permits are granted only on the basis of strict safety expertise, as well as an in-depth analysis of the seismic, hydrogeological, and tectonic conditions of the site, conducted by relevant centers and specialists.

This is precisely the purpose of the center — not to duplicate the functions of the regulatory authority, but to create the most reliable scientific basis, technical analysis, and expert support for safety-related decisions throughout the entire life cycle of facilities. In 2025–2026, the establishment of modern laboratories at the center is planned, along with the full integration of the sector with IAEA standards.

🌐 How do scientific safety support structures, or TSOs, operate in SCO member states?

The experience of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization shows that in most of them, such scientific and technical centers have become an integral part of the safety system:

🇷🇺 Russia: the main scientific support body of Rostechnadzor is SEC NRS, where nuclear safety expertise and draft regulatory documents are analyzed.

🇨🇳 China: the country’s only official TSO is the NSC — Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center. It conducts comprehensive safety assessments of facilities.

🇧🇾 Belarus: the activities of Gosatomnadzor are supported by the Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety. Notably, it brings together 18 scientific and educational institutions into a single network.

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan: the National Nuclear Center provides scientific support in the fields of radioecology, the legacy of nuclear test sites, and future energy safety.

🇮🇳 India: under the regulatory body AERB, the Safety Research Institute, SRI, conducts seismic analysis and models fire and radiation safety.

🇵🇰 Pakistan and 🇮🇷 Iran: in both countries, technical support and safety institutes — NISAS and ITSO — operate under the authorities responsible for licensing and regulatory oversight.

🇹🇯 Tajikistan and 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan: although these countries do not have nuclear power plants, they have scientific agencies and environmental centers that analyze the safety of radioactive waste and mining legacy sites.

🌐 Information Service of the Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety