Having completed all tests of the Mochovce nuclear power plant Unit 3 at the power level up to 55% of the nominal power, Slovenské elektrárne, a.s., increased the unit to a higher level - 75% power. In the energy start-up phase, the unit delivered approximately half a million megawatt-hours of electricity to the grid by mid-July, which corresponds to the annual consumption of 200 thousand households.
"Transfer to the 75 % power level is satisfaction for the efforts of all our colleagues and suppliers they have invested in the plant since the first fuel assembly was loaded. It is extremely challenging, but also technically interesting. Various stages of the physical and energy start-up have enriched our experience. This will help us not only in the start-up of the Unit 3, but later also with the Unit 4."
Martin Mráz, Director of Mochovce NPP
Full operation of the Unit 3 and achievement of design parameters will be confirmed by a successful 144-hour trial run at 100 %, 471-megawatt power level, which will complete the energy start-up phase. This milestone is expected to be achieved in September-October.
"At the same time, I consider it important to emphasize that the Mochovce 3 met all safety requirements and criteria during the tests and I am convinced that we will successfully pass the last three stages of the energy start-up, up to the completion of the 144-hour trial run."
Juraj Krasňanský, Director of Completion and Commissioning of Mochovce 3 and 4 Nuclear Power Plant
After the completion of the tests at the 75% power level, the unit has to undergo further tests at 90 and 100% power levels.
The new nuclear unit in Mochovce will have the installed capacity of 471 megawatts at start-up, which will cover approximately 13% of Slovakia's total electricity consumption. In terms of electricity production, the country should become energy self-sufficient already this year.
The lifetime of the new unit is planned to be 60 years at least.
Seven out of ten Slovaks support nuclear energy. Up to 60% think it is safe to generate electricity in a nuclear power plant. This is shown by the results of an ACRC public opinion poll conducted for the Slovak Society for Foreign Policy (SFPA) and Slovenské elektrárne in summer 2022.
Approximately 70% of all electricity generated in Slovakia comes from Slovenské elektrárne. Thanks to nuclear power plants in particular, Slovakia's largest producer supplies almost 95% of its electricity without emitting carbon dioxide, which is considered to be one of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. The company is the only one in Slovakia and Eastern Europe to be included in the prestigious Financial Times: Europe´s Climate Leader 2022 index for reducing emissions.
In addition to nuclear power plants, the company operates 31 hydro, two thermal and two photovoltaic power plants. Their total capacity is 4143.8 megawatts.
The company has two shareholders. The majority shareholder is Slovak Power Holding B.V. (SPH) with 66.0000000523 % stake in the share capital. In SPH, EP Slovakia B.V. (a subsidiary of the EPH Group) holds 50 % of the share capital and the remaining 50 % belongs to Enel Produzione S.p.A (a subsidiary of the Enel Group).
The minority shareholder of Slovenske elektrárne, with a 33,9999999477 % share in the share capital, is the Slovak Republic, on behalf of which acts the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic.
