Dukovany expanding storage capacity to have fuel for 5 yrs

Dukovany, South Moravia, Oct 2 (CTK) - Energy group CEZ is expanding the storage capacity for fresh fuel assemblies at the Dukovany nuclear power plant so that it can have enough nuclear fuel in stock for almost five years of operation of its four units, plant spokesman Jiri Bezdek told CTK today.

At present, Dukovany has fuel reserves for more than three years.

The storage tanks are supplied by Skoda JS, which belongs to the CEZ group. They should start to fill up this year.

CEZ said it had started to increase fuel stocks in its nuclear power plants at the end of the last decade. "The importance of this step was confirmed last year when Europe found itself in an energy crisis after Russia's military attack in Ukraine. Moreover, we managed to secure new suppliers for nuclear fuel in the future in record time," said CEZ CEO and board chairman Daniel Benes.

So far, nuclear fuel has been supplied to Dukovany by Russian company TVEL, which is part of Russian state-run group Rosatom. This year, CEZ agreed on supplies for Dukovany with US company Westinghouse. Together with the French company Framatome, Westinghouse will also supply nuclear fuel to the Temelin nuclear power plant from next year.

The Dukovany units were commissioned between 1985 and 1987. Last year, the Dukovany plant delivered 14.7 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, its fifth highest annual production. Since the beginning of this year, the plant has produced 11 TWh of electricity.

CEZ is now awaiting final bids from bidders for the construction of a new unit at Dukovany. The deadline for their submission has been extended to October 31.

tam/er