Westinghouse and EDF in the running for Slovenia's nuclear plant, KHNP withdraws

Westinghouse Electric Company and EDF will each conduct a technical feasibility study for Slovenia's GEN energija. The aim of the studies is to assess the possibility of building their reactors at the site of the existing Krško nuclear power plant.

Slovenia's JEK2 project envisages the construction of one or two reactors with a total installed capacity of up to 2400 MW. The existing Krško nuclear power plant, which has a 696 MWe pressurised water reactor, generates approximately one-third of the country's electricity. The plant is jointly owned by Croatian company Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP Group) and Slovenia's GEN energija.

Last May, the JEK2 project team estimated costs for reactors of different sizes following talks with potential nuclear plant suppliers EDF, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Westinghouse. The costs range from EUR 9.314 billion (approx. CZK 235 billion) for a 1000 MW unit to EUR 15.371 billion (approx. CZK 387 billion) for a unit with an installed capacity of 1650 MW.

Feasibility studies and KHNP's withdrawal

At a press conference on Wednesday, 29 January, Bruno Glaser, JEK2 project manager at GEN energija, announced that the technical feasibility studies for the two bidders would cost approximately EUR 8.3 million (approx. CZK 209 million). The studies will assess technical and legislative requirements, as well as a range of safety and implementation aspects related to construction and operation.

The main aim of the studies is to ensure that the project is planned on the basis of realistic technical capabilities and in line with the highest safety and technological standards.

According to GEN energija, the third bidder originally planned for the project, South Korea's KHNP, decided not to submit a bid to prepare a study or to build the JEK2 project itself. The decision was attributed to an assessment of the current business environment and a change in strategic business priorities.

Westinghouse AP1000

"We have built a partnership with GEN energija spanning several decades, dating back to the construction of the first unit at the Krško nuclear power plant, which has operated successfully since it began operations in 1983. We are pleased to build on this relationship with a feasibility study for the Krško-II project," said Dan Lipman, president of Westinghouse Energy Systems.

"This potential project featuring an AP1000 reactor will not only provide Slovenians with a source of clean, reliable energy, but will also bring tangible economic benefits and create highly skilled jobs for many years, supporting Slovenia's energy independence," Lipman added.

According to Westinghouse, the AP1000 is "the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, a modular design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market". There are currently six AP1000 reactors in operation, including Vogtle units 3 and 4 in the US.

Another 12 reactors are under construction and five have been contracted. AP1000 reactors have also been selected for nuclear projects in Poland, Ukraine and Bulgaria. Westinghouse is working with Hyundai Engineering & Construction on the Slovenian feasibility study.

EDF's enhanced EPR design

The EPR 2 unit, which EDF is developing with Framatome, is intended to succeed the EPR. EPR units with an installed capacity of 1650 MW are operating in China (Taishan 1 and 2), Finland (Olkiluoto 3) and France (Flamanville 3). Another EPR unit is under construction at Hinkley Point C in the UK.

Slovenian referendum on construction

Slovenia had planned to hold a referendum on the construction of a new nuclear unit in November, but the vote was postponed amid political disputes over how it should be organised. Prime Minister Robert Golob has nevertheless stressed that he remains committed to holding the referendum before the final investment decision, which is expected in 2028.

GEN energija also said it would continue preparing expert studies in 2025, including site safety assessments, radiological analyses, flood risk studies, seismic safety assessments and technical feasibility studies. At the same time, the country plans to conduct a pre-feasibility study for the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs).

Experience from the Czech Republic

Last year, Westinghouse, EDF and KHNP competed for a new nuclear project in the Czech Republic. KHNP was selected as the winner, and the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) contract is expected to be signed by the end of March 2025, despite appeals filed by EDF and Westinghouse.

It was recently announced that Westinghouse, KHNP and Korea Electric Power Corporation had reached an agreement on intellectual property issues that had been the subject of litigation in the US. The details of the settlement remain confidential, but the companies said that "the agreement also opens the way for future cooperation on the development of new nuclear projects globally".