Czech Republic is planning nuclear future: New power plants for billions in Dukovany!

Czech Republic is planning nuclear future: New power plants for billions in Dukovany!

Dukovany, Tschechische Republik - On June 4, 2025, the contract for the construction of two new nuclear power plant blocks was signed in Prague. The South Korean energy group Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was commissioned to implement the Dukovany location. This was done without prior notice and after the lifting of an injunction from the Supreme Administrative Court, which had previously prevented the signing.

The decision had been issued against the award procedure due to a lawsuit by the French company EDF. EDF failed with a complaint in front of the competition authority. The costs provided for the construction amount to around 7.9 billion euros per reactor, and it is expected that the domestic industry will be involved in the orders with a share of 60 percent.

The location Dukovany

The Dukovany Nuclear Power Station, the first nuclear power plant in today's Czech Republic, was put into operation in the 1980s. It is located near Dukovany, about 200 kilometers east of Passau and 100 kilometers north of Vienna. Four pressure water reactors of the Soviet design are currently underway there, which are over 35 years old. These reactors have an installed output of 1,880 MWE and deliver about 14 TWH electrical energy to the national power grid every year. The modernization of the power plant will continue until the end of the planned lifespan.

The start of construction for the new reactors is planned for 2029, with the test operation of the first new reactor by 2036 and the second to 2038. This expansion is estimated at around $ 18 billion and is considered the greatest energy investment in the history of Czech Republic.

nuclear energy in the Czech Republic and criticism

the Czech Republic plans to increase the proportion of nuclear power in the electricity mix by 2040 from one third to more than half. The six reactor blocks in the Czech Republic are currently contributing around 37 percent to the country's net electricity generation. The Czech government has also decided to build new reactors in Dukovany and in Temelín. Opponents of nuclear power in the Czech Republic as well as in Germany and Austria criticize the plans as outdated and warn security concerns.

The Czech government continues to commit to this project, despite the legal challenges and European claims, to postpone the signing of the contract. The European competition authority also expressed its concerns, which led to criticism from Czech business leaders.

The next phase of expansion not only provides for the construction of additional nuclear power plant blocks, but also the testing of small modular reactors in the planned "Nuclearpark South Bohemia". These new developments in Czech energy policy are part of a comprehensive plan to diversify the energy supply of the country and to ensure in the long term.

Further information on the existing reactors and planned extensions can be found on wikipedia and de.wikipedia.org .

For detailed information about the signing of the contract and its importance for the Czech energy future, see PNP .