Massive Expansion at Dukovany and Temelín
Czechia plans to produce up to 60 percent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2050. Engineers expand Dukovany with two new reactors while mobile rigs extract samples 140 meters underground to verify geological stability. The $19 billion project aims to double the country’s nuclear output and cement its position among Europe’s top nuclear users.
South Korea’s KHNP won a tender over France’s EDF to construct the new plant. Each reactor will produce over 1,000 megawatts. Officials plan to operate them in the late 2030s, supplementing Dukovany’s four 512-MW reactors from the 1980s. The deal includes an option to add two more reactors at Temelín, which currently operates two 1,000-MW units. Officials plan to follow the expansion with small modular nuclear reactors.
Petr Závodský, chief of Dukovany, said nuclear power will supply between 50 and 60 percent of Czech electricity by 2050. He emphasized the expansion will reduce fossil fuel dependence, ensure reliable electricity, meet low-emission targets, and satisfy growing demand for data centers and electric vehicles.
Europe Embraces Atomic Energy Again
Rising energy demand and stricter climate rules are reviving nuclear interest in Europe. Nuclear power produces waste but emits no greenhouse gases. The European Union included nuclear in its sustainable investment classification, unlocking financing for Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and France.
Belgium and Sweden reversed previous nuclear phase-out plans. Denmark and Italy are reconsidering. Poland signed a deal with Westinghouse to build three reactors, joining 12 nuclear-supportive EU nations. The EU generated 24 percent of electricity from nuclear in 2024.
Britain also invests heavily in atomic energy, signing a cooperation deal with the U.S. and committing £14.2 billion to build Sizewell C, its first new plant since 1995. CEZ, 70 percent government-owned, partners with Rolls-Royce SMR to deploy small modular reactors.
Financing, Security, and Public Debate
The Dukovany expansion will cost over €16 billion. The government will acquire an 80 percent stake and secure loans for CEZ to repay over 30 years. Officials will guarantee stable electricity revenues for 40 years. EU approval is expected as the bloc pursues climate neutrality by 2050.
Závodský emphasized that 40 percent of Czech electricity still comes from coal. Authorities plan to phase out coal by 2033. Earlier nuclear projects faced delays, including the 2014 Temelín tender, cancelled due to missing financial guarantees.
Security concerns led officials to exclude Russia’s Rosatom and China’s CNG from the Dukovany tender. CEZ signed fuel contracts with Westinghouse and France’s Framatome, eliminating Russian dependence. KHNP will supply fuel for 10 years.
Despite broad support, critics raise concerns. Friends of the Earth call nuclear too expensive and argue for better investment in the energy sector. Czechia still lacks a permanent storage facility for spent fuel.
The Dukovany and Temelín plants lie near Austria, which abandoned nuclear power after Chernobyl in 1986. Austria remains Europe’s strongest nuclear critic and rejected Czech plans for small modular reactors. Cross-border tensions in 2000 even blocked road traffic during disputes over Temelín.
Czechia now balances energy security, climate goals, and regional diplomacy as it expands nuclear power.
