US to financially support site selection for small modular reactors in Slovakia

The US government will provide financial support through the NEXT grant to select a suitable site for the construction of a small modular reactor in Slovakia. The $5 million in support builds on an earlier project, through which the country received $2 million. Slovakia commissioned one unit at the Mochovce power plant last year and plans to commission another next year. Nuclear power already accounts for two-thirds of electricity generation, and its share is expected to grow further.

Slovak energy company Slovenské Elektrárne (SE) announced that it had received funding from the US Nuclear Expediting the Energy Transition (NEXT) grant. The $5 million (approximately 116 million Kč) in support is intended to identify the best site in Slovakia for the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs). The results are expected to be available by the end of 2025.

“Demand for electricity will grow. Small modular reactors are not intended to replace our existing nuclear sources, which safely and reliably meet most of Slovakia’s consumption without direct CO2 emissions. SMRs are intended to complement the energy mix and help ensure the country’s energy self-sufficiency in the future. The grant we won in international competition is great news. It gives us the opportunity to accelerate preparations for projects that are important to the success of our energy transition,” said Branislav Strýček, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Slovenské Elektrárne.

In addition to Slovenské Elektrárne, other companies and organisations are involved in the project, including the Ministry of Economy, the Slovak University of Technology, the nuclear regulator and the transmission system operator. NEXT builds on Project Phoenix, which provided Slovakia with a $2 million grant (approximately 46.5 million Kč) to fund an SMR feasibility study. That project also examined the potential to use coal-fired power plant sites; in Slovakia, this could include the Vojany power plant, which was shut down this year.

“Nuclear power is one of the most important topics in the energy sector because it will significantly help us decarbonise our industry and contribute to climate targets, but above all, it will ensure Slovakia’s energy security and independence. I am therefore very pleased that our small country has achieved such a major and significant success,” added Denisa Saková, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic.

Nuclear energy makes up a substantial part of Slovakia’s energy mix. Last year, nuclear generation accounted for two-thirds of the electricity produced in Slovakia.

Further nuclear construction

Slovakia currently operates five VVER 440 units at the Mochovce and Jaslovské Bohunice power plants. The latest unit to be commissioned was Mochovce’s third unit, which only entered commercial operation in October last year. Thanks in part to the commissioning of the unit, which covers around 13% of domestic electricity consumption, Slovakia became a net electricity exporter in 2023. SE also plans to commission a fourth unit at Mochovce at the end of next year.

Last year, the Slovak government approved plans to build a new nuclear unit with a capacity of up to 1,200 MW at the Jaslovské Bohunice nuclear power plant site. An application for a construction permit is scheduled for 2025, with construction potentially starting in 2031.