There is already a project being worked on by ČEZ and Rolls-Royce SMR for the UK-based company’s 470 MWe small modular reactors (SMRs) at the existing nuclear power plant site of Temelín, in the South Bohemian region.
The newly-signed agreement means work can take place for the next proposed SMR projects at the Tušimice site in the Ústí nad Labem region and Dětmarovice site in the Moravian-Silesian region.
Czech Minister for Industry and Trade, Karel Havlíček, said: “Nuclear energy is a key pillar of the Czech Republic’s stable and secure energy future, and small modular reactors will be an important part of it. We plan to build the first such reactor at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, while at the same time preparing additional sites. At the same time, this represents a technological opportunity of global significance for Czech industry. Without a sufficient supply of our own reliable energy sources, it is impossible to guarantee the country’s long-term energy security and economic stability.”
Tomáš Pleskač, member of the ČEZ Board of Directors, said: “Small modular reactors are a global opportunity for Czech industry. Our traditional nuclear companies have a long history and unique know-how, which they can further deepen through their participation in the small modular reactor project. We have already recorded the first successes: the Plzeň-based nuclear company Škoda JS has become one of the two suppliers of key nuclear-island components for the Rolls-Royce SMR. And I believe this is just the beginning. The British company is only just starting to build out its supply chain, and even at this stage we are seeing considerable interest from Czech firms keen on securing their position in the global marketplace.”
Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR CEO, said: “We are excited to be working across three sites, which gives us a route to delivering at least six Rolls-Royce SMRs, as we lay the foundations for 3 GW of clean, secure electricity in Czechia. This agreement builds on the strong momentum of our partnership with ČEZ and takes us another step closer to fleet deployment in one of Europe’s most important SMR markets.”
The Czech ministry says it believes that in the long term the sites of current coal-fired power plants appear especially suitable for the location of SMRs, which can, in addition to generating electricity, also ensure reliable heat supplies for surrounding cities.
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. Ninety percent of the SMR – measuring about 16 metres by 4 metres – will be built in factory conditions, limiting activity on-site primarily to assembly of pre-fabricated, pre-tested, modules which significantly reduces project risk and has the potential to drastically shorten build schedules.
In October 2024, Rolls-Royce SMR was selected by ČEZ to deploy up to 3 GW of electricity in the Czech Republic, and ČEZ took a 20% stake in Rolls-Royce SMR. The plan is for the first SMR to be deployed in the area of the Temelín site (which already has two gigawatt-scale VVER-1000 units), with the further projects being developed at coal-fired power plant sites.
The Czech Republic currently gets about one-third of its electricity from the four VVER-440 units at Dukovany, which began operating between 1985 and 1987, and the two units in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002.
The Czech government also has plans for new gigawatt-scale nuclear reactors and selected KHNP as its preferred bidder in July 2024 for two new units near the current Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, about 200 kilometres southeast of Prague. The engineering, procurement and construction contract for the Dukovany units was signed in June 2025, for two APR-1000 units at a projected cost of CZK407 billion (USD18.6 billion). The aim is to start construction in 2029. In addition to the SMR project, two more large units at the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant are also being considered.
In June 2025 Rolls-Royce SMR was selected as the UK government’s preferred technology for the country’s first SMR project. A final investment decision is expected to be taken in 2029. Rolls-Royce SMR has also been selected for a proposed SMR project in Sweden.
