Fico: Slovakia likely to work with US on new nuclear power project

Bratislava, October 7 (ČTK correspondent) - Slovakia will apparently work with the United States on a state-owned new nuclear power source with a capacity of more than 1000 megawatts. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said this today at the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF). Nuclear power plants already account for the largest share of electricity generation in Slovakia.

"The most likely scenario is that, based on an agreement we want to sign with the US government, we will cooperate with an American supplier," Fico said of the new nuclear power source.

The Slovak Government Office reported earlier in the day that Fico had said his cabinet had already signed an intergovernmental agreement with the US on the construction of a new nuclear unit. The office later retracted the statement and said the Slovak government had approved a draft agreement with the US in September.

According to a recording of Fico's remarks, the prime minister initially said in his speech at ENEF that his government had "signed and approved" an intergovernmental agreement with the US in September, as Bratislava wants to build a nuclear unit that will be state-owned. However, Fico's later remarks at ENEF indicated that signing the agreement with the US is only planned.

Fico's government approved plans to build a new nuclear power source last year. It subsequently abandoned its plan to launch a tender for a technology supplier, and government officials announced cooperation with the US in this connection.

In September this year, the government in Bratislava approved a cooperation agreement with the US government which, according to media reports, establishes a legal and institutional framework for cooperation between the two countries in civil nuclear energy and the responsible use of nuclear energy, and is of fundamental importance for building a new nuclear power source. Slovakia's Ministry of Economy said at the time that Bratislava had retained authority over the choice of partners, technology and the project's financing method.

The country's largest electricity producer, Slovenské elektrárne (SE), is working to complete the fourth unit at the Mochovce nuclear power plant. A controlling stake in SE is held by Energetický a průmyslový holding, owned by Czech businessman Daniel Křetínský.

The Czech Republic is preparing to build two nuclear units at Dukovany. The construction will be handled by South Korean company KHNP, which won last year's tender.