EDF signs further cooperation agreements with Czech firms on construction of new nuclear units

EDF is continuing to build a local supply chain as part of preparations for the construction of new nuclear units in Czechia. EDF and its key partners GE and Framatome have already identified several hundred potential Czech suppliers and signed cooperation agreements with dozens of them. The latest series of agreements was signed with ZVVZ, VF Nuclear, CHEMCOMEX and CAPPA cooling.

A number of Czech companies are already part of EDF’s supply chain and are successfully supplying the Hinkley Point C project in the UK and Flamanville in France. “We are very satisfied with our ongoing cooperation with companies such as ZAT, MICo and Škoda JS,” says Roman Zdebor, head of EDF’s Czech branch.

The EDF Group, Europe’s only supplier of nuclear reactors, sees Czech industry as crucial to the proposed EPR and NUWARD SMR projects in the Czech Republic and across Europe. To realise this potential and establish specific business relationships, the second Czech-French Nuclear Industry Summit was held in June this year in Belfort, France.

The city of Belfort has historical importance in the European nuclear sector. It is home to GE Steam Power, a supplier of steam turbines for EPR and EPR1200 projects in France and worldwide. “Nuclear energy is one of the key pillars needed to achieve cleaner, affordable, reliable and sustainable energy. GE’s steam turbine and generator technology, including our Arabelle steam turbine manufactured in Belfort, France, is used in half of the world’s nuclear power plants. Together with EDF, we are ready to support the Czech government and ČEZ with state-of-the-art turbine island technologies,” said Frederic Wiscart, executive director of GE Steam Power’s Nuclear Business division.

More than 30 Czech companies took part in the summit, which was co-organised at GE’s premises by the Czech Power Industry Alliance (CPIA) and its French counterpart GIFEN. Alongside information on the EPR1200 technology offered by EDF in the tender for the construction of new units in the Czech Republic, participants learned detailed information about EDF’s planned projects in France, the UK and other European countries, including Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Netherlands.

“The Czech delegation held many interesting and inspiring discussions with its French partners. We were also grateful for the opportunity to tour GE Steam Power’s offices and production hall,” said Peter Szenasy, head of the CPIA delegation, while also thanking GIFEN, GE Steam Power and EDF for organising the event.

EDF will submit its integrated bid to build up to four EPR1200 units in Czechia to ČEZ at the beginning of October this year. The world’s largest producer of nuclear energy plans to use the Czech nuclear programme as a springboard for further projects, including those in France. Experience from the construction of two EPR units at the UK’s Hinkley Point C plant is tangible evidence of the ability to deliver projects at Dukovany or Temelín as well, with significant benefits for the local economy. To date, UK companies have received 64 % of the value of the Hinkley Point C project. EDF plans to replicate this proven approach to localisation in Czechia if it wins the tender.