On 30 January, Westinghouse Electric Company signed a contract with Slovenia’s state-owned power company, GEN energija, to conduct a Technical Feasibility Study (TFS) for assessing the deployment of an AP1000® reactor. This study supports Slovenia’s nuclear new-build strategy, which includes plans to construct a second unit for the Krško nuclear power plant.
GEN energija stated that the focus for the NEK 2 project, known as JEK 2 in Slovenian, will be on spatial planning and internal studies throughout this year. Westinghouse has partnered with South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering and Construction for this task. Meanwhile, French state-owned company EDF is conducting a separate study, with both projects valued at EUR 8.3 million, according to GEN energija. The completed studies are expected to be delivered by the end of September.
This comprehensive study will evaluate the implementation of one AP1000 nuclear reactor at the proposed Krško-II Nuclear Power Plant, next to the existing Krško Nuclear Power Plant that utilises Westinghouse technology. The TFS is a significant step forward in Slovenia’s ambitious strategy to reduce its dependence on foreign energy sources and achieve energy independence.
“Since delivering the first Krško unit, which has operated very successfully since it started operating in 1983, Westinghouse has built a decades-long partnership with GEN energija through operational and fueling support. We are pleased to extend the relationship to closely study the feasibility of the Krško-II project,” said Dan Lipman, President of Westinghouse Energy Systems.
The AP1000 reactor is currently the only operating Generation III+ reactor with entirely passive safety systems, a modular construction design, and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. Presently, six AP1000 reactors worldwide are setting operational performance and availability records, with twelve additional reactors under construction and five more under contract. By the decade’s end, 18 units based on AP1000 technology are expected to be operational globally. This technology has also been chosen for nuclear energy programmes in Poland, Ukraine, and Bulgaria and is being considered at multiple other sites across Europe, the United Kingdom, India, and North America.
“This potential AP1000 project will not only provide clean, reliable baseload power to Slovenians, but it will also deliver real economic benefits and high-quality jobs for years to come while fostering Slovenia’s energy independence,” the President of Westinghouse Energy Systems added.
