CEZ is following the leader. Premier Andrej Babis (ANO) last year told media that he sees a future in small nuclear reactors which are much smaller than the existing mega projects either built or under construction in places like India and the U.K. The small reactors could fill the void left with alternative energy when the wind is not blowing or sun is not shinning; a constant power source used for “baseline” power. “CEZ identified an array of projects for Small Modular Reactors (SMR), which seems more appropriate for realization in the Czech Republic. In the next phase we asked eleven suppliers of chosen projects for contracts in order to share detailed technical information” said Ladislav Kříž, the spokesperson for CEZ.
Since Babis made the remarks, CEZ has signed two contracts for sharing of technical informaton, both with American companies; the first with NuScale last fall, the second one recently with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH).
The CEO of CEZ Daniel Beneš added that “ As a company focused on developing new solutions and technologies for energy, we are already involved in Small Modular Reactors, above all in our subsidiary UJV Rez.”
The main barrier to entry is that no company has actually built a commercial SMR. There are many companies globally working on it. CEZ and the Czech Republic also see this as an opportunity. If one of the first commercial SMR’s are built here, and the technology does prove to be a game-changer in nuclear power, the country and CEZ (owned 70% by the state) could have a high-value added marketable product to offer on the world stage.
