Up to four nuclear units need to be completed, CEZ rep says - E15

Prague, Aug 30 (CTK) - Up to four additional nuclear units need to be completed to cover Czechia's future electricity consumption, semi-state energy group CEZ's new energy division head Pleskac told Czech economic daily E15.

Currently, one unit at the Dukovany power plant is in the pipeline, to be completed by 2036, and the new reactor is to cost about Kc160bn, according to earlier information from the government's and CEZ's representatives.

French company EDF, South Korean company KHNP and US company Westinghouse are bidding for the construction of the new Dukovany unit. CEZ has invited all three bidders to submit their final bids by mid-September.

"We tell all the bidders that the probability of building four large units is high... We want them to devote the same effort to preparing a non-binding bid for the remaining three units as they did in their bids for the first unit," Pleskac told E15.

The final number of units will be decided after the state energy concept has been approved, Pleskac added.

The prospective construction of another four units is based on analyses that include a number of variables and possible scenarios, according to Pleskac.

A not-yet-published updated draft of the Czech government's national energy and climate plan confirms plans to build four new nuclear units, according to E15.

"The strategic assignment in the field of nuclear resources is to complete the construction of a new nuclear source at Dukovany and other nuclear sources at the Dukovany site, depending on the lifetime of the current units, and at the Temelin site by at least 2047," the document says, according to E15.

The projected launch date for the sixth Dukovany reactor is 2046, and 2039 and 2041 for the new Temelin units, according to the plan.

It is premature to discuss the exact number of units now, as the required power will undoubtedly be covered by large as well as small and medium-sized reactors, Industry and Trade Ministry spokesman Vojtech Srnka told E15.

The government is to discuss the updated state energy concept by the end of the year, including a final decision on the construction of additional units, Srnka added.

According to Czech daily Denik N, Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Sikela and Environment Minister Petr Hladik will discuss scenarios for the future of the Czech energy sector today, with the government to choose between two options.

The first option envisages the construction of two new nuclear reactors and greater investment in renewable energy sources, while the second scenario anticipates the construction of three reactors and one smaller modular nuclear power plant.

The two scenarios are being prepared for the Czech national energy and climate plan, which is currently being finalised by the Industry and Trade Ministry. The government is to submit the document to the European Commission (EC).

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