Czech industry ministry to establish new nuclear energy and new technologies section in July

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) will establish a new nuclear energy and new technologies section from 1 July. It will focus on the development of nuclear power. The ministry will select the director of the new section through a recruitment procedure. The MPO announced this today in a press release.

„Nuclear power is the foundation of our energy sector, and its position will strengthen further in the coming years. By creating the new section, we will ensure the conditions for the development of nuclear power, including both the construction of new units and small and medium-sized nuclear reactors,“ said Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela (STAN).

According to him, creating the new ministry section is necessary because nuclear energy projects are demanding in terms of capital and personnel.

The new section will consist of two partially transformed existing ministry departments, supplemented by a newly established Department of Research, Development and Support in Nuclear Energy.

In connection with the focus of the new section, the ministry recalled that national strategies count on nuclear energy as one of the main sources in the domestic energy mix. Its share of primary energy sources should gradually reach up to 40 percent, and 50 to 65 percent of gross electricity generation. The state is therefore preparing for the construction of new nuclear units.

Czechia is currently holding a nuclear tender to select a supplier of new units. In addition to the winning bidder, the government should also decide on the number of units to be built in the summer. In spring, France's EDF and South Korea's KHNP submitted binding bids to build up to four new reactors. One new nuclear unit should be built at Dukovany by 2036; if a larger build-out goes ahead, up to two units would be built at Dukovany and two at Temelín.