Westinghouse, EdF, KHNP Submit Final Bids for Czech Republic's New Dukovany Nuclear Reactor Project

New Reactor Aims to Boost Czech Republic's Energy Independence Amid Plans to Phase Out Coal by 2033; Winner Could Potentially Build Three More Reactors in the Country.

• Three major energy companies, U.S. Westinghouse, France’s EdF, and Korea’s KHNP, submitted their final bids to build a new reactor at the Dukovany nuclear power station in the Czech Republic. The project aims to increase the country's energy independence and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
• The Czech Republic has plans to phase out coal by 2033 and the new reactor, expected to be operational by 2036, will help meet this target. Currently, over a third of the country's total electricity is generated by six nuclear reactors.
• State-controlled power company CEZ will assess the multi-billion dollar contract bids and submit its decision to the government for final approval. Preliminary bids were submitted in November following a tender launched in March 2022.
• The company that wins the contract for the new reactor will have the option to build three additional reactors in the country. Russia's Rosatom and China's CNG were excluded from the tender process on security grounds.
• The Czech Republic is not alone in expanding nuclear power production, as neighboring Central European countries Slovakia and Hungary are also implementing similar projects. Moreover, Westinghouse was chosen by Poland to build its first nuclear power plant with the aim of reducing coal use and enhancing energy independence.

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