Czech nuclear safety authority spending to rise to CZK 486.1 million next year

The State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB) is expected to have expenditure of CZK 486.1 million next year. That is about CZK 13 million more than this year's budget. The Chamber of Deputies' Economic Committee recommended approving the budget proposal today. The office is responsible for state administration of nuclear energy and ionising radiation safety in Czechia. It has been operating since 1993.

The office's budget proposal for next year was presented to MPs by its chair, Dana Drábová. She said expenditure would be about CZK 10 million below the medium-term outlook. Drábová stressed that the office was aiming to make savings, but would also have to use funds available from previous years.

Expenditure will include, for example, non-investment payments for research by institutions that provide technical support to the office, operating expenses and other payments. Capital expenditure will amount to more than CZK 13 million.

Most of the office's revenue will come from so-called maintenance and administrative fees, which it collects under the Atomic Act.

In addition to the budget, MPs also discussed staffing in the sector. Drábová noted that the number of nuclear energy specialists in Czechia is declining, while also pointing out that experts in other technical fields are needed as well. MPs agreed that if the number of specialists and people educated in nuclear energy continues to fall, the Czech Republic could lose its competitiveness in the sector.

Drábová has served continuously as SÚJB chair since 1999. The government recently confirmed her in the post for another five years, making her the longest-serving senior state official in the country.

The State Office for Nuclear Safety is primarily responsible for state administration in the use of nuclear energy. It oversees the non-proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and monitors nuclear safety, radiation protection and radiation situation monitoring.