Czech nuclear officials say KHNP’s Dukovany bid is competitive and could create synergies if it follows on to Temelín
Petr Zavodsky, CEO of EDU II and Tomas Ehler, Director General for Nuclear Energy at the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade. (Photo courtesy of KHNP)
As the Czech government pursues the construction of the Temelín nuclear power plant following Dukovany, Tomas Ehler, Director General for Nuclear Energy at the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, stated on April 22, “There would be a synergistic effect if Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) takes on the (Temelín) project (following Dukovany).”
Director General Ehler, who attended the Korea Atomic Power Annual Conference (KAP) in Busan, met with the Korean press and said, “KHNP has presented a competitive proposal,” adding, “We plan to make a final decision in 2027 after a comprehensive review of the progress of the Dukovany nuclear power plant project.”
Last year, KHNP and ‘Elektrárna Dukovany II’ (EDU II), a subsidiary of the Czech utility ČEZ, signed the final contract for the new Dukovany nuclear power plant construction project. Currently, KHNP has completed the construction site survey and is in the process of preparing licensing documents for submission to the Czech regulatory authorities with EDU II.
In addition, the Czech government is considering a project to build additional reactors in the Temelín region following the Dukovany plant, and ‘Team Korea’, led by KHNP, is currently the preferred bidder.
Director General Ehler explained, “To supply sufficient electricity to the Czech Republic, the construction of Temelín Units 3 to 5 is necessary. We are currently reviewing the financial plan and project prerequisites.”
He continued, “Currently, nuclear power accounts for about 30% of the Czech Republic’s electricity generation, and we have a goal to expand this to 50-60% in the future. While gas-fired power and renewable energy also play a role, the Czech Republic is a landlocked country, so there are limitations to utilizing wind and solar energy.”
Regarding the in-depth investigation by the European Commission (EC) into state aid for the new Dukovany nuclear power plant project, Director General Ehler said, “One reactor had previously received financial approval, but as the new nuclear project has changed to two reactors, we are awaiting notification. The timing of the approval is more important than the approval itself (for financing, etc.), and we expect financing to be secured in early 2027.”
Meanwhile, Petr Zavodsky, CEO of EDU II, who visited Korea with Director General Ehler, assessed that the current cooperation with KHNP on the Dukovany nuclear power plant is proceeding smoothly.
CEO Zavodsky said, “The Dukovany project has been progressing smoothly so far. We hold monthly progress review meetings and have face-to-face meetings once every three months. This is not just a collaboration between a client and a supplier, but a partnership where we pursue joint success as participants in a single project.”
He added, “The construction of the Dukovany nuclear power plant is impossible without cooperation between the Czech Republic and Korea. Czech companies are willing to cooperate with Korean companies and are looking for opportunities.”
On this day, Director General Ehler and CEO Zavodsky of EDU II attended the Korea Atomic Power Annual Conference (KAP).
As Korea successfully won the bid to host this year’s Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference (PBNC) for the first time in 14 years, KAP and PBNC were held jointly.
The event was attended by a large number of government officials and foreign companies from various countries to discuss strategies for the nuclear industry in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
Kim Hoe-cheon, President & CEO of KHNP (and Chairman of the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum), emphasized, “In an era where AI is becoming a key driver of national economic growth through industrial innovation, nuclear power is a realistic energy source that can stably support the rapidly increasing electricity demand. As countries around the world are moving busily to expand nuclear power, we will fully pursue the continued operation of existing nuclear plants, the construction of new ones, and the standard design approval for innovative Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).”
Jung Suk-yee
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