Nearly two-thirds of Czechs would support building small modular reactors in their area, survey finds

The Czech public has long viewed the use of nuclear energy positively. The results of a recent survey by NMS Market Research confirmed Czechs’ strong support for nuclear power. Nearly three-quarters of residents support the use of nuclear energy, and 60% of the population could imagine a small modular reactor being built in their area.

With energy consumption rising and fossil fuels being phased out, new zero-emission sources of stable and secure energy will be needed. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are one option. SMRs will have a significant impact on the regions where the technology is deployed. In addition to Temelín, where the first Czech SMR site is to be built, construction is expected to take place mainly in coal regions, where the infrastructure and workforce of coal-fired power plants can be used.

The Czech state plans to build SMRs in locations such as Tušimice and Dětmarovice. Coal regions such as the Moravian-Silesian Region and northern Bohemia also have much higher unemployment than the national average and are struggling with the outflow of young people

Confidence in this technology naturally goes hand in hand with the construction of new nuclear power sources—and confidence is high. Nearly two-thirds of Czechs would support building a small modular reactor in their area, a positive figure and a message to everyone who hopes to take part in these projects. SMRs will bring coal regions not only affordable, zero-emission energy, but also new, highly skilled jobs.

Westinghouse is the best-known SMR technology provider

The updated energy policy of the Czech Republic envisages the construction of up to ten small modular reactors. Czechs’ positive attitude towards nuclear power is also reflected in the fact that as many as 85% believe it will benefit Czech industry.

In the early 1990s, US-based Westinghouse became a strategic supplier of control and monitoring systems, replacing the original plan to install outdated Soviet systems. The contract signed in the early 1990s helped Westinghouse build a reliable network of domestic partners in the Czech Republic, so it is no surprise that, among the potential suppliers of SMR nuclear technology, Westinghouse is the best-known brand, the survey found.

Opportunities for Czech industry

Small modular reactors have many advantages, one of which is their modularity. This means that the more are manufactured, the more cost-effective they will be. This is also why the updated energy policy envisages multiple small reactors, whose serial production could bring many long-term contracts for Czech companies. “Companies involved in deploying the first SMRs will have a huge advantage, not only for future projects in Czechia, but also because they will develop export potential for global markets. Interest around the world is high and continues to grow. The advantage of small modular reactors liesin their wider range of applications—not only for generating energy, but also, for example, for producing heat and hydrogen or desalinating water,” says Petr Brzezina, Westinghouse president for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, on the benefits of SMRs.

The survey was commissioned by Westinghouse Electric Company and conducted by NMS Market Research. The Czech Energy Alliance (CPIA) provided its auspices.