ČR self-sufficient in electricity production

Prague, Oct 31 (CTK) - The Czech Republic has shown a surplus in electricity production in recent years, exporting a record-high amount of 17 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity last year, while Slovakia has not been self-sufficient in electricity production since 2007.

Slovakia had to shut down two units of the nuclear power plant in Jaslovske Bohunice after its entry in the European Union. Slovakia now produces 4 TWh of electricity less a year than ten years ago.

The Czech energy production is based on fossil fuels as 55 percent of electricity is produced from coal.

One-third of electricity is produced in nuclear power plants in Dukovany, southern Moravia, and Temelin, southern Bohemia. Their share on electricity production is to rise further considerably after two new units are built at Temelin. In contrast, old power plants will be gradually phased out.

In Slovakia, nuclear energy plays a leading role in electricity production despite the closure of two units at Jaslovske Bohunice, western Slovakia. Nuclear energy accounts for more than a half of Slovak electricity output. Its share is to increase further after the completion of the nuclear plant in Mochovce, western Slovakia.

The role of renewable energy sources is smaller in both the countries. Renewable sources account for 11 percent of the total electricity consumption of 59 TWh in the Czech Republic.

Renewable sources in Slovakia produced 2.75 TWh of electricity. Total electricity consumption in the country is 18.86 TWh.

Both the countries had to limit support to electricity from renewable sources owing to fast-growing performance of photovoltaic power plants.

Natural gas consumption in the Czech Republic decreased last and this year. However, a change of trend is expected along with the planned construction of new steam-gas power plants.

Gas consumption in Slovakia grew by 1 percent year-on-year last year.

Both the countries import a larger part of gas from Russia. Beside Russian gas, supplies from Norway make up around one-quarter of the Czech Republic's gas imports.

Slovakia was completely dependent on Russian gas until 2009. But after the gas crisis, when supplies of the commodity to Slovakia were suspended for two weeks, the country started to look for ways to limit this dependence.

Consequently, gas can newly be supplied to Slovakia from the Czech Republic through the pipe line which usually transports Russian gas to Western Europe. Besides, an interconnection of gas pipe lines between Slovakia and Hungary is being prepared.

Fuel consumption in the Czech Republic has been falling in the long term. Petrol consumption dropped by 4 percent year-on-year to 839,000 tonnes in mid-2012, while diesel oil consumption stagnated at nearly 2 million tonnes.

The drop is related to a slow economic growth as well as high prices which grew to almost Kc40 a litre in some Czech regions this year.

Fuel sale in Slovakia has been falling since 2009. The decline is caused by a slowdown of economic growth as well as higher popularity of cars with diesel oil engines.

Unlike in the Czech Republic, diesel oil sale in Slovakia was increasing in the past two years, also thanks to a cut in excise duty on the fuel.