Areva to create 11,000 jobs if it wins Temelín tender

Prague, Sept 30 (CTK) - Areva of France believes it may succeed in a tender for the completion of the Czech nuclear power plant Temelin with bigger reactors than those offered by its rivals, and if it wins it wants to create around 11,000 jobs, Areva's Thomas Epron said in an interview for CTK.

Most of the 11,000 qualified jobs should be filled by Czechs, Epron, Areva's director for Central and Eastern Europe, has said.

Areva offers two reactors with a total output of around 3,300 megawatts (MW), while the other bidders, namely the US-Japanese company Westinghouse and a consortium of the Czech company Skoda JS and Russian companies Atomstroyexport and Gidropress, offer two reactors with an output of around 2,200 MW.

Epron has admitted that Areva's units can be more expensive than the rivals' units but return on the investment is economically more beneficial. Big reactors will slash production costs for one megawatt of power, Epron said.

Areva plans to create around 5,000 jobs in Temelin and another 6,000 new jobs will apply to further works and services. Czech companies are to be responsible for up to 70 percent of the project's activities, according to Areva.

The other bidders promise the same volume of work for Czech firms.

The bidders recently submitted their offers to the energy group CEZ, which operates Temelin. CEZ is now analysing the bids and by the end of the year will make a preliminary ranking. The bids will then be complemented and again presented to CEZ that will pick up the winner of the tender.

The highest EPR safety certificate for Areva's units is one of its advantages, said Epron. He would not disclose the price but said the higher price of its reactors should not put Areva at a disadvantage.

Experts have pointed out that the Czech Republic has surplus electricity and after Temelin is completed in 2025 there will be no demand for power from such a big source.

Epron said, however, that outdated coal-fired plants are to be shut down in the coming years that will free capacity for the expanded Temelin.

The winner of the tender will be selected next year. The costs of Temelin's completion are estimated at between Kc200bn and Kc300bn.