Czech energy group ČEZ launched a tender for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Dukovany. The Ministry of Industry and Trade gave its approval for this step after the safety units assessed the documents from the previous phase, including the incorporation of safety requirements into the tender documentation and completed the safety assessment of all three bidders (Westinghouse from the USA, EdF from France and the Korean company KHNP).
According to the tender schedule, the bidders are to submit their initial bids by the end of November this year and the contracts will be finalised in 2024.
“The main objective is a safe and economical project completed within the stipulated budget and time,” said Daniel Beneš, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of ČEZ. “For the tender itself, the goal is of course to select the best contractor and to have a quality and beneficial contract. After its signing, the project documentation will be thoroughly prepared in order to minimise the problems surrounding some foreign projects. I believe that the 2036 start date for test operation of the new unit is achievable.”
The new Dukovany unit will be built next to the existing power plant and will replace part of the current power plant’s output in the future, the first unit of which was commissioned in 1985. During this time, the plant has become a stable part of the region and a driving force for its further development. According to the results of a regular public opinion poll conducted by IBRS at the end of last year, 65 per cent of respondents were in favour of the further development of nuclear power in Czechia (compared to 62 per cent in the previous year).
