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Korea Hydro enters talks with Czech Republic for two reactors

Negotiations have begun to decide the final price of the project (KHNP)
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) has begun negotiations with the Czech Republic to build at least two full-scale reactors.

The company, along with consortium partners Doosan Enerbility and Daewoo E&C, was selected to add two units to the Dukovany NPP last week, beating a rival bid from France’s EDF.

Westinghouse, supported by Bechtel, was originally a third bidder, but was deselected from the shortlist.

Jozef Sikela, Czechia’s industry minister, said the choice had been made on the projected cost of a megawatt hour and KHNP’s “more reliable guarantees of cost control, as well as the timetable of the entire project”.

The companies were initially bidding to supply a single 1.2GW unit with the possibility of adding a further three to the order.

In February, the Czech government changed this to two units with the option of a further two at the Temelin plant.

KHNP will now install its first APR1000 designs in Europe.

The aim is for the contract to be signed in March 2025, after which work will start in 2029, followed by commissioning in 2036.

KHNP said the Czech side was looking to spend $8.6bn on each of the two reactors, but that the final contract value will be decided in negotiations.

The company added that it would do its best to use Czech companies as suppliers, and had already signed some 76 memoranda with them.

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