Dukovany II faces permitting hurdles. Complaints delay new units

In preparing the construction of two new nuclear units at the Dukovany power plant near Třebíč, the key challenge in the coming period will be permitting processes and legal challenges to them. Petr Závodský, CEO of Elektrárna Dukovany II (EDU II), said this today at the Nuclear Energy 2026 expert conference in Valeč near Třebíč. He mentioned a complaint against the issued zoning decision, filed with the Constitutional Court by a company that bought land needed for construction of the units and does not want to sell it. He said the company had not yet received the wording of the complaint. According to him, preparations for construction of the units are so far proceeding according to schedule.

"We are firmly convinced that we will hand over the construction site facilities in 2029," Závodský said.

EDU II is the investor in the new nuclear source, while construction will be carried out by South Korean firm KHNP. Concrete pouring at the site is expected to begin in 2030.

EDU II has already received the so-called conceptual design for the new Dukovany units from KHNP, with detailed design work and permitting processes set to continue. "At the moment, it is very much about design work and paperwork," Závodský told ČTK. Experts are also now assessing samples from geological boreholes drilled at the future construction site from last summer until this April. An administrative building at the Dukovany plant will be completed this year and should be used by EDU II from the end of the year.

Representatives of the regions and EDU II also discussed preparations for transport infrastructure needed to move heavy components for the new units, construction materials and workers, of whom up to 6,000 will be needed during construction. Building the units will affect both the Vysočina Region and the neighbouring South Moravian Region. Iveta Fryšová from the Vysočina Region's regional development department said that the two regions were cooperating on preparing the area. They also want to commission a transport model once they receive the necessary data.

Fryšová mentioned the construction of road bypasses on regional roads in Vysočina being built for Dukovany, for which the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure will provide around one billion crowns this year.

"As for accommodation, I think we still have some time. But it is an area where a great deal of work needs to be done," Závodský said regarding preparations for future workers' accommodation capacity.

A representative of the South Korean company has so far been surveying municipalities' options through questionnaires and is evaluating the responses. According to Závodský, several accommodation locations would need to be found in both regions so that the burden is spread evenly.

The first new Dukovany unit could be completed in 2036, with the second a year later. The Dukovany plant currently has four units, which were commissioned between 1985 and 1987.