ČEZ Has Asked the Ministry of the Environment for an Environmental Impact Assessment of the Potential Construction of New Nuclear Units in Dukovany

In accordance with the Updated National Energy Strategy, ČEZ is prepared to initiate the process of a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the planned construction of new units in the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant. Therefore, the company has today submitted to the Ministry of the Environment all the documents required to launch the EIA process. This is the first step in the company’s effort to fulfill the National Action Plan for the Development of Nuclear Energy to ensure the long-term energy self-sufficiency of the Czech Republic. The purpose of the EIA is to identify, describe and comprehensively assess foreseeable impacts of the planned projects on the environment and public health in the relevant context. The EIA is conducted in cases defined by law, always before all the requisite permits are obtained and before the actual project implementation begins. The European energy sector has been going through a period of significant changes and uncertainties, and ČEZ wants to be prepared for all options of future development.

The EIA process is managed by the Ministry of the Environment (MoE). ČEZ is prepared to present to the MoE any and all information that may be required to assess the environmental impact of the potential construction of two new units in Dukovany. Based on our experience, the EIA may be expected to take several years to be completed.

The updated National Energy Strategy, which Bohuslav Sobotka’s government approved in early June of last year, foresees nuclear energy to be a major source of power that will allow the Czech Republic to be self-sufficient in terms of power generation and ensure reliability of power supply to end users. The energy mix is further complemented with renewable sources and fossil-fuel power plants. In view of the good technical condition of the existing four units of the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, their safe and reliable operation can be expected to continue at least until 2035. They would be gradually phased out afterwards. The project for 1 or 2 new units at the Dukovany site primarily aims to replace the existing units.

By preparing in a timely manner for two potential new units in Dukovany, we will be able to ensure uninterrupted power generation from key nuclear sources in a location where the long-term environmental impact of the safe and reliable operation of the existing four units of the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant can be verified. The project will significantly contribute to keeping and creating new jobs and foster the social life in the entire region. “From the economic and environmental viewpoint, we still consider nuclear energy as one of the best energy sources for the Czech Republic, and the EIA is one of the steps in collecting source documentation for subsequent decisions on the construction itself. This way we have fulfilled some tasks defined in the National Action Plan for the Development of Nuclear Energy approved by the Czech Government. The European energy sector has been going through a period of changes and uncertainty, and we need to be prepared for all possible directions of the future development,” said

Pavel Cyrani, Sales Division Director and Member of the Board of Directors, when explaining the reasons for submitting the EIA application.

In accordance with the EIA process, additional information will gradually be published on ČEZ’s website on the preparation of the new unit construction project at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant. This information will thus be available to the broad public for subsequent debate as well.

20. 7. 2016