The Czech Republic will need to build not only one new unit at its Dukovany nuclear power plant, but also more reactors at Temelín if it is to avoid becoming dependent on electricity imports from 2030, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček said yesterday. Havlíček cited the latest Mid-term Adequacy Forecast published on 18 October by high-voltage grid operator operator ČEPS.

NuScale Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ČEZ, to explore applications for its small modular reactor in the Czech Republic.

TVEL, the Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer, has signed contract with Czech utility ČEZ to introduce the RK 3+ modification of its VVER-440 fuel for the Dukovany nuclear power plant. Announcing the agreement today, TVEL said the new fuel will undergo a number of pre-irradiation tests aimed at qualification for a licence from the Czech Republic’s State Office for Nuclear Safety.

The Czech government has given preliminary approval for Elektrárna Dukovany II - a subsidiary of utility ČEZ - to build at least one new nuclear power unit. The decision was announced in a government resolution published yesterday by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

TVEL and the Czech research center Řež have signed a cooperation agreement in materials science studies and research. TVEL, the nuclear fuel manufacturer subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom, announced today that Czech scientists will conduct experiments on the irradiation of nuclear construction materials in the CVŘ research reactor and also carry out pre-irradiation and post-irradiation studies.

ČEZ will start loading test fuel assemblies supplied by Westinghouse Electric Sweden into unit 1 of its Temelín nuclear power plant this weekend as part of its plan announced in August last year to diversify its fuel supply.

South Korea's Kepco Engineering & Construction Company has signed an agreement with Czech engineering firm UJV Rez to strengthen their cooperation in nuclear power plant projects.

Czech utility ČEZ plans to test six Westinghouse fuel rods in unit 1 of the Temelín nuclear power plant as it seeks to diversify its fuel supply. Russia’s TVEL is currently the sole supplier of nuclear fuel to Temelín and Dukovany.

Škoda JS of the Czech Republic will manufacture and supply two sets of EPR reactor pressure vessel internals for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project.

The Czech government is expected to reach a decision on the best way to finance new nuclear projects by the middle of the year, after a Ministry of Industry and Trade committee agreed yesterday to finalise its recommendations to government.

Vítkovice Heavy Machinery and TSP Engineering have signed an agreement to cooperate in the decommissioning of British nuclear power plants and the supply of components for nuclear-powered submarines. Czech engineering company VHM said yesterday the contract is worth about CZK3.5 billion ($158 million) over the next five years.

More cooperation agreements and contracts have been signed by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom and its subsidiaries during the IX AtomExpo International Forum it is hosting this week in Moscow. The latest agreements, with Asian and European companies, cover collaboration in a wide range of nuclear-related areas and beyond.