Slovenian energy group Gen-Energija considers expanding the capacity of a planned second unit at the Krsko nuclear power plant to 2,400 MW from 1,100 MW, according to local media.
Gen-Energija decided to expand the range of possible options and to pave the way for more powerful units, in the extreme case in the range of up to 2400 MW, or, given that the chosen place in Vrbina pri Krsko allows, to even decide on two nuclear units, NPP Krsko CEO Dejan Paravan said to news agency STA.
In this scenario, France’s EDF and South Korea’s KHNP could participate in the project, as so far only Westinghouse has offered to provide a unit of 1,100 MW, Paravan added.
The planned capacity increase was made possible by a change in Slovenian legislation, which no longer sets the limit at 1,100 MW. The energy crisis led to an even greater need for electricity, and the interest of neighbouring countries in co-investing in the project also increased, he noted.
Earlier this year, energy minister Bojan Kumer said Slovenia will be able to make a decision on the construction of a second unit at Krsko NPP in 2024 at the earliest. The timing of the decision, which will likely be voted on at a referendum, depends on the conclusions of a feasibility study being prepared by Gen-Energija as a potential investor, Kumer said.
Krsko NPP, located in Slovenia near the border with Croatia, generates 40% of Slovenia’s electricity output. The NPP is located around 100 kilometres from Austria and operates a Westinghouse pressurised light water reactor with a 2,000 MW thermal power capacity. The operating company Nuklearna elektrarna Krsko (NEK) is co-owned by Gen-Energija and Croatian power utility Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP), SeeNews reports.
