Nuclear power in Slovakia

Slovakia’s history of harnessing nuclear energy for production of electricity reaches back more than 50 years as construction of the country’s first nuclear power station was launched in 1958. Currently, two nuclear power stations are operating in Slovakia with two additional facilities under construction or in the planning pipeline.

Slovakia’s history of harnessing nuclear energy for production of electricity reaches back more than 50 years as construction of the country’s first nuclear power station was launched in 1958. Currently, two nuclear power stations are operating in Slovakia with two additional facilities under construction or in the planning pipeline.


Operating nuclear power stations:
-Bohunice V2 Nuclear Power Plant,
operated by Slovenské Elektrárne (SE)
The Atómové Elektrárne Bohunice plant is located in western Slovakia near the town of Trnava. Electricity is generated in two 440 MW reactor units that were connected to the electricity grid between 1984 and 1985. For construction of the V2 nuclear power plant the world’s most commonly-used model, a pressurised-water reactor, was adopted along with a Soviet-era VVER 440 design. The aggregate installed capacity is 880 MW (2x440) and enriched uranium is the fuel.
-Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant, operated by SE
The facility is located in southern Slovakia between the towns of Nitra and Levice. Currently only two pressurised water reactors of VVER 440 design are in operation. Unit 1 was connected to the power grid in 1998 and Unit 2 has been supplying electricity since late 1999. The aggregate installed capacity is 940 (2x470) MW and enriched uranium is the fuel.


Nuclear power stations under construction and in the planning pipeline:
-Units 3 and 4 of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant by SE SE resumed construction of the third and fourth units of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant in November 2008. Mochovce Unit 3 is expected to be put into commercial operation in 2012 and Unit 4 is expected to come online in early 2013.
-A new nuclear power station is proposed for Jaslovské Bohunice
The facility will be constructed by Jadrová Energetická Spoločnosť Slovenska (JESS – Nuclear Energy Company of Slovakia), a joint-stock company of Jadrová a Vyraďovacia Spoločnosť (Nuclear and Decommissioning Company – JAVYS) and the Czech energy company ČEZ. The Slovak firm controls a 51-percent share of JESS and the remainder belongs to the Czech partner. Details about the facility should be released at the beginning of next year as JESS is currently working on its feasibility study. The programme statement of the government of Iveta Radičová states that construction of this power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice will get the new government’s support only if it can be financed without state resources.


Closed nuclear power stations undergoing decommissioning:
-A1 nuclear power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice
The first nuclear power station built in what is now Slovakia was a prototype nuclear power station fuelled by natural uranium that supplied electricity between 1972 and 1977. It did not resume operations after a re-fuelling accident in 1977. The ongoing decommissioning process is projected to be completed in 2033.
-V1 nuclear power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice
The two blocks of the V1 nuclear power plant were connected to the power grid in 1978 and 1980. Slovakia disconnected them from the grid in 2006 and 2008 to fulfil a commitment made prior to entering the European Union to completely close down this facility. The decommissioning process is to be managed by JAVYS and the state-run company is seeking approval to start in 2011 and expects to complete it by 2025.

Source: SE, JAVYS, SITA

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