The first survey related to the small modular reactor (SMR) project was carried out three years ago with four boreholes to a depth of 30 metres.
The current round of drilling is in the southwestern edge of the existing nuclear power plant site and involves nine exploratory core boreholes drilled to a depth of between 50 metres and 200 metres.
A diamond crown has been used which can drill through the hardest rocks – the hard rocks means progress can be limited at times to two metres per hour. The aim is to refine data on the geological environment.
Silvana Jirotková, Director of the SMR development department at ČEZ, said: “Geologically, it is a very mapped location, suitable for nuclear energy. The surveys were carried out by workers in the 1980s before the construction of Temelín units 1 and 2. Other surveys were in connection with the preparation of the third and fourth units. In the case of the modular reactor, this is the second exploration, others will follow.”
The premitting process is already under way for the project, with an environmental impact assessment currently under way, with CEZ hoping to submit it within the next year.
The Czech Republic selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its partner for up to 3 GW of new nuclear capacity last year and CEZ has taken a 20% shareholding in the UK-based company.
Background
The Rolls-Royce SMR is a 470 MWe design based on a small pressurised water reactor. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years. 90% of the SMR – measuring about 16 metres by 4 metres – will be built in factory conditions, limiting on-site activity primarily to assembly of pre-fabricated, pre-tested, modules which significantly reduces project risk and has the potential to drastically shorten build schedules.
Last month CEZ and Rolls-Royce SMR signed an Early Works Agreement to start site-specific work for potential small modular reactors at the Temelin nuclear power plant. The aim is to build the first SMR in the Czech Republic there in the mid-2030s. There are also plans being developed for their deployment at the location of current coal-fired power plants.
In the Czech Republic four VVER-440 units are currently in operation at the Dukovany site, which began operating between 1985 and 1987. There are also two units at Temelin and between them the six units generate about one-third of its electricity. A CZK407 billion (USD18.6 billion) contract was signed with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power in June for two of its APR1000 reactors near the existing Dukovany units. The aim is to start construction in 2029. A further two APR1000 units may follow at Temelin.
