Financial Times: Slovak power producer ranked among Europe's climate leaders

The Financial Times listed Slovakia’s largest power producer, Slovenské Elektrárne (SE), as Europe’s Climate Leader 2024, alongside top companies from all over Europe that protect the climate and reduce carbon emissions.

The Times reports that SE reduced its core emission intensity by 45 percent over the 2017-2022 period, thus preventing more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

“Climate protection is our priority,” said SE CEO Branislav Strýček, as quoted by the SITA news agency.

Strýček noted that in December the company phased out coal burning in Nováky, and March in Vojany. At the same time, the third unit at the Mochovce nuclear plant has been launched. The company said that this move will save up to 2.6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, comparing it to the disappearance of a million cars with internal combustion engines from the roads.

Thanks to its low-carbon sources – nuclear and water, the largest electricity producer in Slovakia delivered up to 96.5 percent of electricity without CO2 emissions in 2023.

Slovenské Elektrárne, which is owned by the state and the Slovak Power Holding B.V. company, produces 100 percent of electricity without direct CO2 emissions today.

Verified CO2 emissions. (source: seas.sk)

New projects

At present, the firm is working on the completion of the fourth unit, as well as preparing battery energy storage systems at power plants in Dobšiná, Mikšová, and at the most powerful pumped-storage power plant of Čierny Váh. Also, the biggest photovoltaic power plant in Slovakia, with a capacity of 10 MWp, is to be installed near the former coal power plant in Nováky.

Slovenské Elektrárne is also participating in the Phoenix project. It will draft a feasibility study on small modular reactors in one of five identified localities in Slovakia, the firm said.

Slovenské Elektrárne also ranked on the list compiled by The Financial Times in 2021 and 2022.

Slovak Telekom, a telecommunications company, also features on the current, fourth edition of the list.