CEZ signs contract with state for construction of Dukovany nuclear reactor

The power company CEZ has signed a contract with the Czech state for the construction of a nuclear power block at the Dukovany power plant. The document includes details on financing the project, its planning permit and on the choice of a contractor by 2024. CEZ director Daniel Benes said he hopes to hold the tender to choose who will build the plant by December of this year and to choose the winner by 2024. The expected price of the new reactor is estimated at €6 billion, with construction set to begin in 2029. Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek said the goal is to complete construction by 2036 in order to ensure the country's ability to function under its own power at affordable prices. It will replace 50 percent of the capacity of the current reactors, whose lifespan was originally projected to last until 2035 or 2037. The Czech state is paying for 70 percent of the project, while CEZ will cover the remainder of the expenses.