Czechia's nuclear ambitions: Balancing energy security, economic costs

Czechia is moving forward with an ambitious nuclear energy expansion plan aimed at making nuclear power account for up to 60 per cent of its electricity by 2050. The country’s nuclear future is centered around the construction of two new reactors at the Dukovany power plant, with the goal of doubling the nation’s nuclear output.

To prepare the site for this $19 billion project, mobile drilling rigs have been extracting samples from as deep as 140 meters below ground for a geological survey to confirm the site's suitability, Euronews writes. 

The two new reactors, each with an output of over 1,000 megawatts, will be built by South Korea's KHNP after it won a tender over France’s EDF. The reactors are expected to be operational by the second half of the 2030s, complementing Dukovany’s existing four reactors, which have a combined output of 2,048 megawatts. The deal also includes an option to build two additional units at the Temelín plant, which currently houses two 1,000-megawatt reactors.

The Czech government is also looking to the future, planning to incorporate small modular nuclear reactors after the new units are operational.

"Nuclear will generate between 50 percent and 60 percent (of energy) around 2050 in Czechia, or maybe slightly more," said Petr Závodský, chief executive of the Dukovany project.

This nuclear expansion is seen as essential for reducing the country's reliance on fossil fuels, ensuring a reliable electricity supply, and meeting low-emission targets. With rising energy demands driven by electric vehicles and data centers, Závodský emphasised that nuclear power is key to securing a steady, affordable energy supply.

Czechia’s nuclear push comes at a time when Europe is witnessing a resurgence in nuclear interest due to rising energy demand and the need to cut carbon emissions. While nuclear power does generate waste, it remains a low-carbon energy source, and its inclusion in the EU's classification system for sustainable economic activities has facilitated financing for new projects. Countries like Slovakia, Hungary, and France are heavily nuclear-dependent, while others such as Belgium and Sweden have reversed plans to phase out nuclear energy.

Nuclear energy’s role in Europe’s future was further reinforced by a cooperation deal between the UK and the United States, which is expected to spark a “golden age of nuclear” in the UK. The UK has committed £14.2 billion to build the Sizewell C nuclear plant, the first in the country since 1995.

In Czechia, the cost of the Dukovany expansion is estimated at over €16 billion, with the government securing an 80 percent majority stake in the new plant. The project will be financed through loans, which CEZ, the Czech power company, will repay over 30 years.

The state will also guarantee a stable income from electricity production for CEZ over a 40-year period, with EU approval expected for the project, which aligns with the EU’s climate-neutral goals for 2050.

Despite strong government backing, opposition to nuclear energy persists. Environmental group Friends of the Earth argues that nuclear power is too costly and that funds should instead be used to improve the country's energy infrastructure.

Furthermore, Czechia still lacks a permanent storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. Public opposition also remains, particularly from Austria, which abandoned nuclear power following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Austrian lawmakers have rejected Czech plans to build small modular reactors.

By Sabina Mammadli