GEN Energija is a part of GEN Group, which operates Slovenia’s 50 % stake in nuclear power plant Krsko, as well as several hydropower plants on the Sava river, thus providing about 40 % of Slovenia’s electricity demand. CEO GEN Energija Martin Novsak said that GEN Group operated with stability in 2020 and recorded a gross profit of 56 million euros which is above expectations in its business plan. Novsak said that the group’s revenues amounted to 2.3 billion euros in 2020, while investments on the group level reached 100 million euros. Regarding NPP Krsko, Novsak said that it has exceeded its production plan in 2020 by producing more than 6 TWh of electricity, despite short shutdown in late December due to strong earthquake in neighboring Croatia.
COO of GEN Energija Danijel Levicar also spoke about the plans related to NPP Krsko, saying that extensive investment activity was successfully carried out at the nuclear power plant last year. He said that the company made important steps in the development of the second unit of the nuclear power plant and submitted the necessary documentation to the Government and supplemented the application for the investment in the second unit, adding that a macroeconomic impact study on the economy and society continues. Levicar stressed that nuclear technology in Slovenia is necessary for the modern, strategically oriented energy self-sufficiency of the country, and for strengthening economic and social development.
In 2019, then Prime Minister Marjan Sarec said during the visit to NPP Krsko that the country needs to build a second unit at the plant in order to avoid any electricity shortages in the future. He stressed that the future development of energy infrastructure is determined by rising electricity needs, digitalization and infrastructure interconnection in the light of the challenges posed by the fourth industrial revolution and the obligation to reduce carbon emissions under the 2050 Energy Strategy. He noted that in 20 years, the existing unit of NPP Krsko will be decommissioned, as well as Slovenia’s largest coal-fired TPP Sostanj, mainly due to environmental reasons. If the country is not going to build new thermal capacities or wind farms then the construction of the new unit at NPP Krsko is the only solution for stable electricity supply in the future. It is estimated that the cost of the expansion of NPP Krsko to total installed capacity of 1,200 MW would range between 3.5 and 5 billion euros. However, Croatia as a co-owner has to approve the project as well. Eight years ago, Croatian Government greenlit the project, but there were no indications whether Croatia plans to enter such venture since.
