Local Suppliers to Play Significant Role in Czech Republic's Nuclear Energy Future
Westinghouse Electric Company, along with construction partner Bechtel, today signed a cooperation agreement with the Czech Power Industry Alliance. The agreement plays a critical role in leveraging the Czech Republic's highly skilled nuclear industry in support of Westinghouse and Bechtel's proposal to deploy AP1000 reactors in country.
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Ahmet Tokpinar (Bechtel), Elias Gedeon (Westinghouse), Josef Perlik (CPIA), Lukas Zednik (CPIA). (Photo: Business Wire)
The agreement establishes a working group to facilitate participation of Czech companies in the deployment of up to four AP1000 reactors at Dukovany and Temelin nuclear power plants. The selection of AP1000 technology in Poland, Bulgaria and Ukraine, as well as potential deployment of the AP300 small modular reactor, creates additional opportunity for Czech suppliers across the region.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Dr. Kathryn Huff, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Goff witnessed the MOU signing, showing the support of the U.S. Government for the Westinghouse Bechtel team, as well as the Czech industry alliance, for the nuclear projects.
"We see the signing of this agreement as a very important step in the mutual cooperation of all parties involved. The working group's efforts will ensure maximum involvement of the Czech industry in the construction of new nuclear power sources in the Czech Republic as a truly strategic partner of the AP1000 technology," said Josef Perlík, Alliance Executive Director.
"Our AP1000 projects benefit greatly from robust localization of critical manufacturing and services work. I expect that at least 70% of the work for this major project will go to Czech companies," said David Durham, Energy Systems President, Westinghouse. "We are grateful for the partnership with CPIA, one that will pay dividends to the Czech Republic for generations."
"For over 70 years, Bechtel has been at the forefront of delivering state-of-the-art nuclear power technologies," said John Howanitz, President of Bechtel's Nuclear, Security, and Environmental business unit. "We know that the most successful projects include partnering at the local level and maximizing the capacity and capabilities of local suppliers to help our partners achieve their clean energy goals. We look forward to working with CPIA to help us continue to identify potential local suppliers and subcontractors to partner with to deliver energy security to the Czech Republic."
The CPIA brings together the largest nuclear energy technology companies in the Czech Republic. Its mission is to coordinate strategic interests, key partnerships and cooperation of member companies with partners including ministries and state regulatory authorities.
The AP1000 is the only operating Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. In the U.S., at the Vogtle site in Georgia, one AP1000 unit achieved commercial operation in July and is producing power for the grid while a second unit is expected to achieve commercial operation in the months ahead. Four AP1000 reactors are currently setting operational performance and availability records in China with eight additional reactors under construction there. The technology is also under consideration at multiple sites in Central and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, and in North America.
Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X.
Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers' objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place. For more information on Bechtel's experience in nuclear power, visit https://impact.bechtel.com/our-projects/nuclear-power and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.
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