CZECH POWER
On Monday, January 8, 2024, a ceremonial banquet was held in the premises of the French Embassy in Prague under the auspices of the Ambassador of France, H.E. Alexis Dutertre, which was also attended by the French Minister for Energy Transformation, Agnès Pannier-Runacher. L. Rémont, V. Ramany, R. Zdebor and S. Illouz were present on behalf of EdF, which is a potential supplier of a new nuclear source in Dukovany.
The Czech Power Industry Alliance was represented by M. Šimonovský, J. Perlík, J. Holinka, P. Altschul and J. Scharf Jr., and J. Rafaj took part in the event for the Union of Industry and Transport.
According to Agnès Pannier-Runacher, the nuclear program in France is running at full capacity. The minister also expressed full support from the French government in the framework of EdF’s offer for a new nuclear program in the Czech Republic. CEO Luc Rémont mentioned demonstrable steps leading to the Czech industry and the supply chain being fully involved in this offer, as well as creating the effect of a European fleet with EPR technology.
The Czech Energy Alliance supported cooperation with EdF, which will include significant involvement of Czech industry in the supply chain. Czech companies have competences in the volume of 65% of deliveries within the framework of the completion of new nuclear sources and they want to apply them within the Czech Republic also due to the need for high-quality and long-term service.
At the event, Minister for Energy Transformation Agnès Pannier-Runacher also spoke about the joint nuclear alliance, of which the Czech Republic is also a member: “Our goal is to continue working so that the next European Commission approaches nuclear energy and renewable energy sources on a truly equal basis as two basic and complementary means to achieve our climate goals.”
Jozef Síkela, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic added: “I am convinced that our successful cooperation to ensure fair conditions for the development of nuclear energy will bring positive results not only for the energy industry in our countries, but throughout Europe. We clearly agreed that efforts to ensure appropriate financial instruments and conditions within the EU for the development of nuclear energy must continue.”
The representatives of the fourteen EU states united in the nuclear alliance aim to build 150 GW of installed nuclear capacity in the EU by 2050.