Four years ago, Málkov near Chomutov housed an energy control centre and substation for the North-Bohemian Mining company, Severočeské doly. This traditionally coalmining region is now becoming a showcase for new energy. The original building was converted into a modern control centre for managing renewable energy sources (RES).

“I am pleased that we are making use of an existing site and its infrastructure. The Ústí Region has some of the greatest potential for developing, for example, photovoltaic stations, which is why this building will also serve as a base for staff taking care of the maintenance and operation of our facilities,” says Jan Kalina, Board Member and head of the Renewable and Traditional Energy Division.

The technical control centre will manage and monitor all ground-based RES installations of the ČEZ Group. In addition to photovoltaic (PVPP) and wind-powered (WPPP) power plants, it will also feature battery storage facilities, facilities for generating green hydrogen, as well as substations with a voltage level from 6.3 to 400 kV used for transmitting power from the largest solar parks. The control centre will be connected to the Czech Republic’s power grid system.

A test photovoltaic park will also be set up on the grounds, similar to the one that has been operating for four years at the Ledvice power plant. ČEZ experts use the green power lab to test the properties and suitability of various types of panels and structures.

“We have found it useful to first test the new types of panels coming to the markets, to make sure that their subsequent use is as efficient as possible. We are also planning to install trackers there – structures that automatically turn to follow the sun with the panels,” adds Kalina.

In the new RES development era, ČEZ Group has thus far commissioned 9 new PVPPs with an aggregate installed capacity of 52 MWp (see table below). Another 10 PVPPs with total installed capacity of 111 MWp are under construction or soon to be completed, meaning that ČEZ is operating a portfolio of 178 MWp of photovoltaic power plants and 8 MW of wind power. The largest number of solar power plants will be built in the coming years in the Ústí nad Labem Region in the vicinity of the Tušimice, Prunéřov, and Ledvice power plants.

“We use land formerly used for mining. Thanks to the historical location of production sources, this region boasts a unique transmission and distribution system architecture. This makes it possible for us to build renewable sources of energy there without gigantic physical investments into a grid, which would be required in another area untouched by the energy industry,” summarises Kalina.

In the context of its strategy ‘Clean Energy for Tomorrow’, ČEZ focuses on intensive development of renewable resources, striving to contribute to the transformation of the Czech energy sector to a zero-emissions sector by 2030, by developing renewable sources with a capacity of thousands of MWs.

Completed PVPP projects (situation as at 05/2025)

Barbora Peterová , mluvčí ČEZ