The Czech government is expected to reach a decision on the best way to finance new nuclear projects by the middle of the year, after a Ministry of Industry and Trade committee agreed yesterday to finalise its recommendations to government.
 |
| Dukovany (Image: 膶EZ) |
The Standing Committee on Nuclear 抖阴传媒在线 met to consider investor models and financing for the construction of new nuclear reactors. Minister Tom谩拧 H眉ner said the country, which currently generates about a third of its electricity from six nuclear reactors, "definitely" needs a new reactor to replace at least some of the capacity at the older of its two nuclear plants, Dukovany. He said the committee had looked at three detailed possible investor models and also at how to finance such a project.
The Czech Republic's state energy policy, approved by the country's cabinet in June 2015, foresees one new unit at Dukovany, and possibly three more at the Dukovany and Temel铆n sites. The cabinet at that time recommended that utility 膶EZ, which owns and operates the country's two nuclear power plants at Dukovany and Temelin, should create a subsidiary company to prepare construction plans and explore options for financing the new reactors.
The committee yesterday considered options including creating a new subsidiary of 膶EZ to build the units with state backing;听the purchase by the state of an existing part of听膶EZ to build the plants, and splitting 膶EZ to transfer its nuclear plants to a state-owned company. The committee yesterday concurred it will agree a finalised recommendation at its next meeting in May. This will then be put forward for a cabinet decision.
According to Reuters, H眉ner told reporters that the state was not opposing to buying some 膶EZ assets, but should decide on the investment model for building a new nuclear plant before making any decisions on how the utility, which is majority owned by the state, should be split.
Czech Republic special envoy for nuclear energy, Jan Stuller, said experts advising the committee were "leaning toward having the state invest in the new plant," Reuters reported.
膶EZ last year held talks with six companies and consortia which had expressed interest in building reactors at Temel铆n and Dukovany, including Westinghouse, Rusatom Overseas, EDF, Areva-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries joint venture Atmea; China General Nuclear Power Corp; and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power.
Researched and written
by 抖阴传媒在线 Nuclear News
_84504.jpg)
_58447.jpg)
