EDF will provide a third-generation EPR1200 reactor at the Dukovany site (Unit 5) and deliver the design, engineering, construction, and commissioning services, along with training, licensing, and technical assistance
Nuclear power plant Dukovany, Czech Republic. (Credit: WikiPedant/Wikipedia)
French utility EDF has submitted its initial bid for the construction of a unit, with up to 1.2GW in capacity, at the Dukovany nuclear power station in the Czech Republic.
The submission is part of a tender procedure launched by ČEZ and its project company Elektrárna Dukovany II (EDU II), along with Czech authorities, in March 2022.
Along with EDF, South Korea-based nuclear power company KHNP, and American nuclear power company Westinghouse Electric have also submitted their bids.
KNHP submitted its bid for the installation of an APR1000-type reactor, with 1.1GW capacity, while Westinghouse proposed to install its 1.1GW AP1000 reactor.
Under its initial bid, EDF will provide a third-generation EPR1200 reactor, with the EPR reactor family’s optimisations and experience adapted to the Dukovany site (Unit 5).
It will provide the design, engineering, construction, and commissioning services, along with training, licensing, and technical assistance to support the new unit.
In addition, the company would provide design and implementation activities for nuclear fuel and delivery of fuel assemblies for the project.
EDF Group chairman and CEO Luc Rémont said: “EDF is highly committed to be selected as a preferred partner for Dukovany and the further expansion of ČEZ’ nuclear fleet with its state-of-the-art European EPR1200 technology.
“This would pave the way for a long-term strategic and industrial European partnership, benefitting from the fleet effect of the EPR technology in Europe, and creating many industrial synergies between our respective nuclear programmes in the coming decades.
“EDF and ČEZ share many values and I am convinced that our proposal will reflect the enhanced benefit of a cooperation amongst two leading European nuclear operators committed to support net-zero objectives in Europe.”
In addition to Dukovany Unit 5, EDF has also made two indicative proposals to support the development of a fleet of reactors in the Czech Republic.
The company aims to build an additional unit at the Dukovany site (Unit 6) and two additional units at the Temelín site (Unit 3 and Unit 4).
Cez, the operator of both Dukovany and Temelin nuclear facilities, will accept the bids for the proposed Dukovany Unit 5 until September 2023, and will finalise contracts in 2024.