NUCLEAR FOR CZECH

NUCNET - 14 March 2022 - The Czech industry ministry will order next week the launch of a tender for a new unit at the Dukovany nuclear power station, a spokesman for the ministry said on Sunday.

State power company ČEZ has said it is planning to build one Generation III+ reactor at the Dukovany site, with a maximum installed capacity of 1,200 MW. However, the company filed for permission to build up to two new units.

In 2014, ČEZ cancelled the tender for construction of two new units at the Temelín nuclear station after it failed to get state guarantees for the project.

The previous government last year sent security questionnaires to three potential bidders – Westinghouse of the US, France’s EDF and South Korea’s KHNP – after state corporations from China and Russia were excluded on security grounds.
“Industry minister Jozef Sikela will issue an order next week for the tender for a new unit at Dukovany nuclear power plant,” spokesman Vojtech Srnka was quoted as saying in local press reports.

The Czech Republic has six commercially operational reactor units. In addition to the four units at Dukovany, there are two Russian VVER-1000 units at Temelín. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, in 2019 the six units provided about 35% of the country’s electricity production.

In a report last year on the Czech Republic’s energy policies, the International Energy Agency called for a robust tendering process for planned new reactors at Dukovany.

The Paris-based agency said the tendering process for new-build must have “clear technological and economic selection criteria” while ensuring the essential security interests of the state.

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