Czech Academy of Sciences: Czechia has what it takes to host a fusion power plant prototype

According to experts from the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Czech Republic has all the prerequisites to become the country where a prototype nuclear fusion power plant is built and commissioned around 2050, enabling electricity to be generated without negative environmental impacts. The prototype could, for example, be built on the site of one of the former coal-fired power plants, and its construction would be a major boost for Czech companies. This is according to an expert opinion, AVex, prepared by the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) for members of parliament, senators, and the leadership of ministries and regional authorities. The Czech News Agency (ČTK) has obtained a copy of the opinion.

Experts say nuclear fusion represents a virtually inexhaustible source of energy and that power plants based on it will be safe. This is partly because spontaneous fusion cannot occur in their reactors, and in the event of any more serious malfunction, the fuel quickly cools and the process of fusing nuclei stops immediately. Construction of the DEMO fusion power plant prototype is due to begin in Europe in the second half of the 2030s, with full operation expected around 2050. Experts said Czechia has what it takes to host it, citing, among other things, the country's active participation in the DEMO project and the construction of the COMPASS-U tokamak fusion reactor at the Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

„Building the DEMO fusion power plant prototype in our country, with a budget of over 20 billion euros (approximately CZK 488 billion), would enable the extensive involvement of Czech industry in construction and technology contracts with high added value. Building the power plant at a site with sufficient connection to the energy grid, for example at the location of one of the former coal-fired power plants, would contribute to the economic development of the entire region, since many components will have to be manufactured at the construction site because their large size makes them impossible to transport,“ the experts said.

They say the key steps now for the Czech Republic to successfully bid to host the DEMO power plant are the successful completion of the COMPASS-U project, starting preparations for the bid in good time, increasing support for training experts for Czech companies so they can compete for contracts in fusion projects, and supporting related industries.

The fusion power plant will be funded by the European Union, with a decisive role for European industry. Preparatory work on the project began in 2014, and it is now at the project conceptual design stage. A deadline for submitting bids to host the power plant has not yet been set. However, according to the CAS, a decision on its location can be expected by the end of this decade.

Research into nuclear fusion in Czechoslovakia dates back to the 1970s. Installation of the current tokamak in Prague began in 2005. The facility's main purpose was to provide scientific and technical support for the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in France. More than 30 countries are collaborating on the huge project. The facility is intended to pave the way for energy that is cheap, safe, and environmentally friendly.