The US company Westinghouse can start the first steps in the process of a new nuclear power plant in Slovakia „practically immediately“. But it must first wait for an agreement between the US and Slovak governments. Petr Brzezina, Westinghouse’s head for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, said at this week’s meeting with media representatives.
Asked by SITA agency what key points need to be resolved in the coming weeks, U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Gautam Rana noted: „At this point, the intergovernmental agreement is basically worked out. Both sides have studied it, agreed on the wording, it has been approved by the European Commission. It is now going through a few final checks and then it will be ready to be signed by the government.“
Westinghouse’s own head for the Czech and Slovak regions would not publicly confirm estimates of how much a reactor in Slovakia could cost. „We, of course, have some estimates that we are already able to give, for example in the case of Poland or Bulgaria, where we are already at some stage of implementation,“ Brzezina noted, adding, „What is important are the preparatory phases. From that then prices, schedules, and everything fall out. Because first you have to say what the market conditions are at that moment.“ Brzezina, however, says that ultimately price is not that important. „Because it is a question of state security and electricity supply.”
If everything goes well, the Americans will build us a new nuclear power plant in Jaslovske Bohunice. The construction of the new nuclear power plant should cost between EUR 13 billion and EUR 15 billion. According to the plans of the current government of Robert Fico, the new nuclear power plant could operate around 2040.
