Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are two post-Soviet countries, rich in resources and with interwoven histories, starting their journey toward nuclear energy. To meet new energy targets, the two countries are approaching the building of nuclear power plants, increasingly considered a significant shift in energy strategy. However, though Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan share Soviet histories, they have two different starting points to develop nuclear industries. Kazakhstan experienced nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, which created doubts about nuclear energy, which are being discussed today in light of the possibility of building a nuclear power plant in the country. To this end, a referendum was held in October 2024 to investigate the population’s views on the start of a nuclear project. Uzbekistan does not have the same nuclear experience as Kazakhstan, being a provider of uranium during Soviet times, but not directly involved in the nuclear tests. The country aligned with the Russian proposal to support the building of a nuclear power plant while also reinforcing its uranium mines, as the country does not have other experience with renewables. This paper proposes a comparison between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan’s approach, showing the ways they conceive nuclear energy, how they are working towards the plants’ construction, and the process of counterbalancing geopolitical forces around the nuclear theme. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were selected as case studies to show how two countries with a common Soviet past, but yet different experiences with nuclear energy, are now choosing to compel to a shared goal in the future, highlighting unique and different conditions for the development of nuclear policy in post-Soviet states. The comparison aims at showing that even though the two countries share a common Soviet past, they are developing independently, as seen by commonalities and differences in their approaches towards building new nuclear facilities. At the same time, two approaches have been highlighted: the choice of strategic partnership with Russia by Uzbekistan, and the attention to public perception of Kazakhstan. This contribution’s goal is to provide a qualitative perspective around the choice of nuclear energy in divergent Soviet-era experiences and the shaping of contemporary nuclear policies.