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US company GSE Systems Inc has been awarded two contracts worth a total of USD8 million to update simulators at nuclear power plants at Mochovce in Slovakia and Kori in South Korea.

Westinghouse Electric Company has signed a contract with Jadrová a vyraďovacia spoločnosť for the dismantling of the reactor coolant systems of two VVER-440 units at the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant in Slovakia. The project is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Slovenské Elektrárne shareholders have approved funding to complete units 3 and 4 of the Mochovce nuclear power plant. The Bratislava-based utility says its General Assembly on 28 March unanimously approved the Strategic Plan for 2017–2021, which includes a €5.4 billion ($5.8 billion) budget for the project.

The estimated cost of decommissioning Soviet-designed, first-generation nuclear power reactors in Bulgaria,��Lithuania and Slovakia will be at least €5.7 billion ($6.4 billion), according to the European Court of Auditors. However, it warns this could double if the cost of disposing of high-level radioactive waste is included.

Italian utility Enel yesterday closed the first phase of the process to dispose of its 66% stake in Slovak nuclear power producer Slovenské Elektrárne: the sale of its 50% stake in Slovak Power Holding BV to EP Slovakia BV.

China and Slovakia will cooperate on developing the nuclear fuel cycle supply chain under a memorandum of understanding signed yesterday between the two countries.

Italian utility Enel announced today that it has entered exclusive negotiations with Czech energy company Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH) to sell its 66% stake in��Slovak nuclear power producer Slovenské Elektrárne. Enel said it may sign a binding share purchase agreement with EPH "in the coming weeks".

Enel plans to sell its 66% stake in Slovenské Elektrárne in two stages – through the sale of a minority stake by the end of this year and the remainder once construction of two nuclear power units at Mochovce nuclear power plant in Slovakia has been completed. The Slovak government owns the remaining 34% in the country's biggest power producer.

Improvements in efficiency at the construction site of the Mochovce nuclear power plant mean the internal reactor parts of unit 3 can be installed by the middle of this year, Slovenské Elektrárne general manager Luca D'Agnese said yesterday.

State-owned Czech utility CEZ has sent an expression of interest for a 66% stake in Slovak utility Slovenské Elektrárne, which is currently owned by Italy's Enel, CEZ spokesperson Barbora Pulpanov told ������ý���� Nuclear News today. The Slovak economy ministry holds the remaining 34% stake.

Slovenské Elektráne’s management and staff are "engaged in providing their full support" to police in an investigation into the privatisation of the Slovak utility, its majority owner told ������ý���� Nuclear News.

Italian utility Enel has launched a program to sell its holdings in Slovakia and Romania including its 66% stake in Slovakian utility and nuclear operator Slovenské Elektrárne.