Czech Republic Plans to Build Small, Medium Modular Nuclear Reactors in Future

PRAGUE (Sputnik) - The Czech Republic plans to build small and medium modular nuclear reactors to replace coal plants, which will give new opportunities for the development of the country's industry sector, Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela said.

"In foreseeable future, the Czech Republic intends to build small and medium modular nuclear reactors that could replace existing coal plants. This technology will be part of the country's updated state energy concept and will be taken into account during the country's territorial development. The development of these technologies provides new opportunities for the progress of the domestic industry," the minister was quoted by a Czech news agency as saying on Wednesday.

The goal is to make these modular reactors supplemental to nuclear power plants in 2030-2040s, Sikela added, while also saying that these plans would give investors confidence that is necessary for further projects.

Czech energy company CEZ is expected to be in charge of building modular reactors. The company is an operator of the two existing nuclear power plants (NPP) in the country — the Dukovany and Temelin NPPs. The first modular reactor will be constructed on the territory of the Temelin NPP, the news agency reported.

Small and medium nuclear reactors (SMR) are nuclear fission reactors that are significantly smaller than traditional nuclear reactors and can be built at one location and then transferred to another. In 2018, the International Atomic Energy Agency said SMRs are among the most promising emerging nuclear power technologies