The competition was open to 17 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and was supported by the United States government with a total of $8 million. The winners were presented today by John Kerry, the US President’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, at an international event on nuclear energy in Bucharest, Romania. Along with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland were also awarded grants. The Special Envoy furthermore announced that the next step in connection with the Phoenix project and the development of small modular reactors will be an event to be held in Bratislava in November. The US delegation will be led by John Kerry.
“I am very happy that we have succeeded in the international competition in such a major competition and that Slovakia will be the place where we launch this important project. The support we have received today represents a great opportunity. It means that Slovakia is one step closer to building a small modular reactor. We believe that the implementation of new technologies, including small modular reactors, is part of the solution to our energy needs. Small modular reactors are not intended to replace existing nuclear or renewable sources. Instead they complement our energy mix to ensure sufficient energy and protect the environment.”
Branislav Strýček, Chairman and CEO of Slovenské elektrárne
The Phoenix project aims to support the transition away from coal towards small modular reactors. The feasibility study will make it possible to assess the suitability of small modular reactors for Slovakia and to propose steps necessary for their potential future construction.
“The countries that have received support for feasibility studies project are pioneers, but they are not alone. We are all in this together, unlocking the next generation of clean base-load power that we can rely on when the wind is not blowing, the sun is not shining, and batteries are not storing. We need the economy moving and nuclear certainly can help. We need to use every tool possible to accelerate the clean energy transition and limit warming. No one technology is the answer to everything. This is the challenge of our lives, the challenge for generations to come, and we have to win. The good thing is that we can.”
John Kerry, US Government Special Envoy for Climate
The grant application for funding a feasibility study on small modular reactors was the first step in fulfilling the partnership defined in the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in June 2023. The signatories to the Memorandum, which aims to ensure conditions for supporting the development of small modular reactors in Slovakia, are Slovenské elektrárne, the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, U.S. Steel Košice, the Slovak Power Transmission System, the Slovak Nuclear Power Research Institute (VUJE), the Slovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava.
“Direct electrification will be key to decarbonising our industry, transport, and heat industries. Demand for electricity in Slovakia will grow significantly over the coming decades and we will need new production sources. Nuclear technology, and especially small modular reactors, will be key to the progressive and correct energy transformation of our country and its economy. The success of the Phoenix application is excellent news for Slovakia. It confirms that we have a lot to offer our partners thanks to our long experience in the nuclear power industry, and it also gives us the opportunity to accelerate the preparation of new projects that are important for the success of our energy transformation.”
Peter Dovhun, Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic
In their application to the Phoenix project, the signatories proposed five Slovak sites for further consideration in the feasibility study, namely the sites of the existing nuclear power plants Jaslovské Bohunice and Mochovce, the sites of the thermal power plants Nováky and Vojany and the site of the eastern Slovak steel plant of U.S. Steel. The feasibility study will assess several aspects and select the most suitable sites for the possible future construction of small modular reactors.
Small modular reactors are a stable and carbon-free alternative to coal-fired power generation. They are both safer and more flexible than the large nuclear reactors used today. Another advantage is that their systems and components can be manufactured and assembled in units at a factory and transported to the installation site.
The study will further assess the suitable types of small modular reactors from the point of view of the needs of the Slovak power industry and the aspects of the proposed sites. The study will analyse the costs of constructing and operating a small modular reactor and prepare an overall permitting and construction schedule.
Nuclear energy is a key pillar of the Slovak Republic’s energy mix. Thanks to nuclear power generation, Slovenské elektrárne delivered 95% of electricity to the grid last year free of greenhouse gas emissions.
