The memorandum of understanding “aims to combine the strengths of both companies and analyse the possibilities of investment, licensing and joint development of SMR projects in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other European countries. The memorandum also creates space for the development of regional supply chains and strengthening energy security”.
Branislav Strýček, Chairman and CEO of Slovenske elektrárne, said: “We see small modular reactors as a promising option for future stable, safe and emission-free electricity production. The partnership with Synthos Green Energy will allow us to analyse the state-of-the-art SMR BWRX-300 technology in detail and to assess its potential for Slovakia in a qualified manner. In addition, we want to utilise our many years of know-how from the construction and operation of nuclear power plants to support the development of SMR in our region.”
Poland’s Synthos Green Energy is project developer for BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) in the region and last week also signed a letter of intent with Hungary’s Hunatom in relation to the potential project development for up to 10 GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 SMRs.
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s 1500 MW ESBWR boiling water reactor.
Westinghouse
The Slovak Government officially approved plans in May 2024 for a 1.2 GWe unit near the existing Bohunice nuclear power plant, with South Korea, the USA and France at the time seen as potential partners.
In a video message on social media Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Sunday: “Another important piece of news, dear friends, is that the European Commission has positively assessed the content of the draft agreement between the governments of the Slovak Republic and the USA on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. Such inter-state agreements with a country that is not a member of the European Union and on the topic of cooperation in nuclear energy must, according to the internal rules of the European Union, undergo assessment at the level of the European Commission.”
He said the US government had already approved the proposal and said the agreement was a basic prerequisite for the conclusion of another intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a new Westinghouse unit in Bohunice with an output of 1250 MW which, he said, “will be wholly owned by the Slovak Republic”.
Slovakia currently has five nuclear reactors – three at Mochovce and two at Bohunice – generating half of its electricity, and it has one more at Mochovce under construction. Both plants are operated by Slovenske Elektrarne.
