Czech Temelín NPP will replace its Soviet generators with American ones

The Czech state energy company ČEZ has announced a tender worth "billions of Czech crowns" for the replacement of generators at the two-unit Temelín nuclear power plant in the south of the country. 

This information was reported by the Nuclear News Agency.

According to ČEZ, companies can submit their bids for the contract until June 9, and the work is expected to be carried out between 2028 and 2030. The tender notice published in the State Gazette of Public Procurement of the country states that the contract involves the supply of two complete generators, including one spare rotor, installation, and subsequent maintenance.

Bogdan Zronek, Director of the Nuclear Power Division at ČEZ, stated that the company aims to select a contractor by next spring. Earlier this year, ČEZ announced an investment of 3.6 billion Czech crowns (approximately 150 million euros or 160 million dollars) in the modernization of Temelín, as the company plans to operate the facility for at least 60 years.

The company emphasized that Temelín is a "key facility" that provides electricity to one-fifth of the Czech Republic. The country has four more commercial nuclear power plants in Dukovany, totaling around 36% of electricity production across six units.

In March 2022, ČEZ initiated a tender process to select a supplier for a new nuclear power block in Dukovany. Construction of the new unit is expected to start in 2029 and be completed by 2036. The Ministry of Industry stated that this would be the largest investment in modern Czech history, with the project cost estimated at around 6 billion euros.

Temelín Nuclear Power Plant is located near the small village of Temelín in the Czech Republic and is owned by ČEZ. The power plant employs approximately 1,000 workers. The adjacent castle, Vysoký Hrádek, serves as an information center for the plant.

The project for the power plant, which uses pressurized water reactor units of the Soviet-designed VVER-1000/320 type, was approved in 1985. Initially, it was planned to have four units with a total capacity of 4 GW, and construction and phased commissioning of all four reactors were scheduled to be completed by 1995-1997.