Czech Republic’s Nuclear Expansion Faces European Energy Shifts

The Czech Republic is embarking on the largest expansion of its nuclear energy capabilities in decades. At the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant site, preparations are underway for the construction of two new reactors. Geological exploration is probing depths up to 140 meters, assessing the site for a project valued at approximately $19 billion. These new units are expected to at least double the nation’s current nuclear capacity. South Korea’s KHNP won the construction contract, surpassing France’s EDF. The plan is for the two over-1 GW reactors to be operational in the late 2030s, supplementing the existing four 512 MW reactors from the 1980s at the same station. The deal with KHNP includes an option for two additional reactors at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, which currently houses two 1 GW units.

The Czech Republic plans to advance to small modular reactors (SMRs) with Rolls-Royce SMR by 2050. Petr Zavodsky, the head of the Dukovany project, has stated that nuclear energy is projected to provide 50–60% of the country’s power output to facilitate a transition from coal, maintain stable prices, and cater to future demand, from electric vehicles to data centers.

The European context is also shifting in favor of nuclear energy: the EU has included nuclear generation in its ‘green’ agenda, easing access to funding. Several countries, including Belgium and Sweden, have revoked plans to shut down nuclear plants, Poland is building its first reactors, and the UK has launched into a ‘golden age of nuclear energy,’ investing £14.2 billion ($19 billion) in the Sizewell C project.

The Czech Republic is accelerating construction amid the risk of energy shortages. CEZ, the country’s largest energy supplier, 70% state-owned, will receive an 80% stake in the new project from the government, a state-guaranteed loan, and fixed income from generation for 40 years. This is expected to eliminate financial barriers that previously hindered development: in 2014, CEZ canceled a tender in Temelín due to lack of guarantees.

Nonetheless, debates around nuclear energy persist. Environmental organizations argue it is too costly and highlight the lack of a permanent waste storage solution in the country. Austria, the most nuclear-skeptical EU nation, has already opposed Czech plans for SMRs.