(Reuters) -Slovakia is close to a deal with Washington that would see U.S. company Westinghouse build a new nuclear reactor in the central European country, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday.
Slovakia, which currently has five nuclear reactors at two plants, plans to expand its nuclear power capacity in the coming decades to meet growing consumption. The government approved plans last year for a new unit owned by the state and operational by 2040.
Fico told a news conference that an agreement between the Slovak and U.S. governments was being prepared and that his government was waiting for the final U.S. position.
“As long as this goes through, we can move toward the signing of an intergovernmental agreement that would be aimed at having American company Westinghouse build a new nuclear power unit at the Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant,” he said.
“It is a huge investment. We are talking about a new unit with output of 1,250 megawatts.” He did not say how much the deal would be worth.
Slovakia’s economy ministry last year estimated costs could run up to 10 billion euros ($11.57 billion).
Slovakia’s electricity production surpassed its annual consumption in 2023 after Slovenske Elektrarne completed the 472 MW nuclear power Unit 3 at the Mochovce plant. Slovenske Elektrarne is majority owned by Czech energy holding company EPH and the state has a 34% stake.
It is now completing another reactor at the same site and also operates two 505 MW units at the Bohunice plant.
($1 = 0.8645 euros)
(Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague; Editing by Susan Fenton)
