Rusatom Overseas, part of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, and Czech company Skoda JS on 11 July signed a two-year contract for technical support during installation of the primary systems and start-up and adjustment while completing construction of units 3 and 4 at Slovakia’s Mohovce NPP.
The Mohovce Phase II construction project is being undertaken by a consortium of Skoda JS (leader), Russian company Atomstroyexport and three Slovak companies: Enseco, , VUJE, and Inzinierske stavby.
Construction of the units, both with VVER-440 reactors, began in 1987 but was suspended and resumed only in 2008. Start-up times of power units have been deferred, with operation of unit 3 now planned for the end of 2017 and of unit 4 is for 2018. The delays have increased the cost of the project to €4.6bn ($5bn) from the originally planned €2.8bn.
Mohovce NPP is operated by power utility Slovenske elektrarne (SE), which is the second largest producer of electricity in Central and Eastern Europe, and which has been 66% owned by Italy’s Enel since 2006. The Slovak Property Fund owns the remaining 34%.
Enel signed a deal with Czech energy company EPH in December to sell its stake in SE in two stages, 33% initially and the rest after the Mochovce expansion is completed. The government has urged Enel not to sell its stake completely before the Mohovce project is finished. EPH has agreed to sell 17% of its holding in SE to the government. The government will have six months after the completion of the project to decide whether to raise its holding to 51%.
