Advanced reactor company Newcleo has entered into two framework agreements with Slovakian nuclear firms Jadrová vyraďovacia spoločnosť (JAVYS) and VUJE to build up to four 200MW nuclear reactors in Slovakia.
The construction of these GEN IV reactors is estimated to cost around €3.2bn.
According to Newcleo, the agreements align with its model of using spent nuclear fuel as a source of energy, while advancing its Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR) modular technology.
Newcleo founder and CEO Stefano Buono said: “With its 50 years of nuclear experience and existing nuclear infrastructure, Slovakia is a highly important and strategic partner for us, specifically in the development, testing, and practical application of new technologies for advanced modular reactors.”
The first agreement with JAVYS, Slovakia’s state-run entity responsible for spent nuclear fuel management, establishes a joint venture called the Centre for Development of Spent Nuclear Fuel Utilisation (CVP).
This joint venture will focus on the development and construction of a nuclear power plant based on Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) technology, incorporating up to four LFR-AS-200 reactors at the Jaslovske Bohunice V1 site in western Slovakia.
Additionally, the CVP will work on establishing a nuclear fuel supply route with the backing of the French government. This initiative aims to reprocess and recycle Slovakia’s spent nuclear fuel, facilitating long-term, multi-cycle recycling within a closed fuel cycle system.
JAVYS will hold a 51% stake in the joint venture, while France-based Newcleo will own 49%. The joint venture aims to develop a solution to reuse spent nuclear fuel through Newcleo’s LFR technology.
This approach seeks to convert existing spent nuclear fuel into a sustainable energy source by leveraging Newcleo’s planned fuel manufacturing facility in France. It is also intended to significantly reduce the amount of nuclear material that would need to be permanently disposed of in a deep geological repository.
The joint venture also seeks to reduce the amount of nuclear material requiring final disposal in deep geological repositories. Newcleo intends to support the initiative with a fuel manufacturing plant in France.
The second agreement with VUJE sets the framework for technical and commercial cooperation to advance Newcleo’s LFR technology in Slovakia.
VUJE is an engineering company engaged in the design of nuclear power plants. Newcleo stated that VUJE will be involved in the initial feasibility study and the subsequent work of the CVP.
The agreement also aims to utilise VUJE’s experience in the construction and commissioning of nuclear power plants, thereby contributing to the development of next-generation nuclear technology in Slovakia.
VUJE CEO Matej Korec said: “This collaboration with newcleo combines our practical knowledge in nuclear power plant construction and commissioning with innovative LFR technology, positioning Slovakia at the forefront of advanced nuclear development.”
