Information Papers

Nuclear Power in Czech Republic

(July 2008)

Electricity consumption in the Czech Republic has been growing since 1994 and in 2006, 84.3 billion kWh was generated, 59% from coal, with net exports in 2005 of 13 TWh - 19 TWh to Germany and Austria and import of 11 TWh from Poland.  Per capita consumption is about 5500 kWh/yr.  Nuclear power provided 24.6 TWh in 2007, 30% of net total.

Nuclear industry development

In 1958 the Czechoslovak government started building its first nuclear power plant - a gas-cooled heavy water reactor at Bohunice (now in Slovakia). This was completed in 1972 and ran until 1977. VVER 440 reactors were built at Bohunice in the 1970s and put into operation in the 1980s.

In 1978 construction of the Dukovany plant commenced, with four VVER 440 type 213 reactors designed by Russian organisations and Energoproject and built by Skoda. These came in to commercial operation 1985-87 and have been upgraded since.

In 1982 work started on the Temelin plant, with two VVER-1000 type V-320 reactors, designed by Russian organisations and Energoproject and built by VSB with engioneering by Skoda Praha. Construction was delayed and when it resumed in the mid 1990s, Westinghouse instrument and control systems were incorporated. The reactors started up in 2000 and 2002, with the upgrading having been financed by CEZ with a loan from the World Bank. A further two units were originally envisaged on the site.

The plants are owned and operated by CEZ a.s. (the Czech Power Company) which has recently been two thirds state-owned but is to be further privatised.  CEZ has financed the upgrading of the Dukovany reactors.

Marginal generating cost at Temelin is reported to be EUR 0.8 cents/kWh, though both units have had ongoing technical problems with fuel and with turbines since they were commissioned.

Operating Czech power reactors

Reactors Model
V=PWR		 Net MWe First power
Dukovany 1 V-213 412 1985
Dukovany 2 V-213 412 1986
Dukovany 3 V-213 412 1986
Dukovany 4 V-213 412 1987
Temelin 1 V-320 912 2000
Temelin 2 V-320 912 2003
Total (6)   3472 MWe

The 2004 state energy policy envisages building two or more large reactors, probably at Temelin, eventually to replace Dukovany after 2020. Plans announced in June 2006 envisage one 1500 MWe unit at Temelin after 2020, and a second to follow.  In July 2008 CEZ announced a plan to build two more reactors at Temelin totalling up to 3400 MWe, with construction start in 2013 and commissioning the first unit in 2020.  CEZ has asked the Environment Ministry for an environmental assessment for the new units, which it said could take two and a half years.  It has also said it was likely to ask for environmental assessment of a single new unit at Dukovany.

Two research reactors are operated by the Rez Nuclear Research Institute (one is a 10 MW unit) and another by the Czech Technical University in Prague. The main one was originally Russian but has been extensively rebuilt, the other two were designed locally.

Fuel cycle

Czech uranium mining which once provided 2500 tU/yr is declining and the last underground mine- Dolni Rozinka or Rozna - operated by state-controlled Diamo, was due to close in 2003, but has been extended indefinitely due to rising uranium prices.  Closure would have reduced production to a few tonnes per year from the former ISL operation at Straz.  Czech production has declined steadily from 452 tonnes U in 2003 to 306 tU in 2007.  In 2007 Uran Ltd made an offer to take over the Rozna mine and develop it, but this was rejected in favour of local plans.
Another deposit of some 115,000 tonnes at Diamo's northern mine of Straz pod Ralskem, closed since 1996, is out of reach in the near future due to political opposition.

Most fuel has been sourced within the country, with conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication being undertaken in Russia. Fuel for Dukovany is supplied by TVEL. The services for Temelin will be within the EU and from Canada and the USA. Fuel for Temelin is supplied by Westinghouse.

Radioactive Waste Management

There is no state policy on reprocessing and the decision is left to CEZ, which does not perceive it as being economic. However, the question remains open.

CEZ is fully responsible for storage and management of its spent fuel until it is handed over to the state organisation Radioactive Waste Repository Authority (RAWRA).

Used fuel is stored at each power plant in dry spent fuel storage. The interim dry storage with capacity of 600 t is operated at Dukovany. Another new one with capacity of 1300 t is under construction also at Dukovany and a new project has been started for Temel'n. CEZ creates an internal financial reserve for the long term spent fuel storage.

At Dukovany a low- and intermediate-level waste repository is operated by RAWRA, and designed for all such wastes from both plants.

At Rez there is an interim storage facility for spent research reactor fuel.

Eventual provision of a high-level waste repository is the responsibility of the state Radioactive Waste Repository Authority (RAWRA). Site selection is scheduled for 2015, with construction start after 2050.

Under the Atomic Energy Act 2002 CEZ as nuclear plant operator is required to put aside funds for waste disposal, lodging these with the Czech National Bank. The rate is CZK 0.05 (US$ 0.2 cent) per kWh.

CEZ is also responsible for decommissioning its plants, and progressively funding this. The adequacy of reserve funds for decommissioning is under the supervision of RAWRA.

Organisation, Regulation and safety

Licensing, nuclear safety, waste management, safeguards, and radiation protection are regulated by the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SUJB), which took over thee responsibilioties from the former Czechoslovak Atomic Energy Commission in 1993.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1997 was amended in 2002 to harmonise with EU legislation, and covers all nuclear energy matters.

In 1999 WENRA, the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association, reported that the country's nuclear regulatory regime was comparable with those in Western Europe.

The Rez Nuclear Research Institute was privatised in 1992 and is owned by CEZ (52%) with Slovak Electric (SE) and Skoda.

Non-proliferation

The Czech Republic is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) since 1993 as a non-nuclear weapons state. Its safeguards agreement under the NPT came into force in 1997. It is member of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group and since May 2004, of Euratom. The Additional Protocol in relation to its safeguards agreements with the IAEA came into force in 2002.

References:
IAEA 2002, Country Nuclear Power Profiles.
Energy in E. Europe 23/1/04.

See also paper on: Early Soviet Reactors and EU Accession