Speed of Dukovany completion crucial for Czechia’s energy security and cost

Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) published a study in February showing that domestic industry could account for up to 65% of the construction of a unit at Dukovany. The involvement of Czech companies is one of the key issues in the tender. There is currently a great deal of activity in nuclear energy in Central and Eastern Europe, creating opportunities for Czech companies elsewhere in the region as well. As our AP1000® reactor becomes the preferred nuclear technology, these opportunities will grow. Nuclear energy is a safe and environmentally friendly source that will ensure our energy stability. From both a security and economic perspective, it would be advantageous to consider building additional nuclear reactors at Temelín and Dukovany.

Our bid seeks to offer the most advantageous price while also ensuring the highest possible degree of certainty. The final cost of completing the project will also be affected by the period between signing the contract with the supplier and the start of construction. The availability of spare capacity will also play a role. Meeting these conditions requires high-quality and timely preparation.

We are involving Czech companies

Representatives of the Czech government stressed even before the tender began that the involvement of domestic companies should be a priority for all bidders. We take this requirement very seriously and have been in contact with a number of companies for almost three years in connection with the Dukovany tender. Since last year, we have signed nearly 40 memorandums with Czech companies and continue our efforts to include as many more as possible in our bid.

At the end of February, we met with companies at the Supplier Day event. We organised it with Bechtel, the US Embassy in Prague, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Czech Energy Industry Alliance and TÜV Nord. More than 150 company representatives had the opportunity to speak with my colleagues from Westinghouse and Bechtel. They learned about working with suppliers and communication practices, the broader product portfolio, and upcoming projects in the region. This is helping us move towards maximum localisation, with the aim of achieving up to a 65% share for Czech companies in the construction of the new units.

However, there are many more opportunities, and cooperation cannot be viewed solely through the lens of one unit at Dukovany. The companies with which we establish cooperation will become part of our supply chain, and we will also count on them for our other projects. Europe is experiencing a nuclear renaissance, and following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, demand for our proven AP1000 unit has increased. Poland selected our reactor last year to launch its nuclear programme, while AP1000 technology has also been selected for the construction of up to nine new units in Ukraine and is being considered at a number of other locations in Europe.

Westinghouse is the only tender participant offering a proven reactor

Czechia has traditionally been strong in energy, and local companies have experience in building nuclear power plants. They can therefore offer their know-how to a range of projects across Europe. We offer companies a package of cooperation opportunities. This could be further enhanced if the project does not stop at just one Dukovany unit, which is primarily intended to replace the capacity of existing units that are reaching the end of their operational lives.

According to an analysis by ČEPS, Czechia faces an electricity shortage as early as the 2030s with the end of coal-fired power generation, and the shortfall will subsequently deepen. This will not affect only Czechia, but neighbouring countries as well. Combined with limits on the import capacity of the transmission grid, importing the necessary volumes will be difficult and expensive, unlike what we have become accustomed to. If we want to be self-sufficient in electricity generation, nuclear energy is the right choice. This is why the government’s strategic considerations of expanding the tender from one to multiple units are entirely justified.

I consider it important to recall that we are the only bidder in the tender with reactors of the type we are offering for Dukovany either in operation or under construction. AP1000® is the world’s most widely deployed nuclear reactor. Westinghouse technology currently forms the basis of approximately 50% of all operating nuclear power plants worldwide.