Press releases pg. 2

CEZ Group's plans to achieve net-zero by 2040 have been validated by the globally recognised SBTi expert initiative. CEZ already received confirmation last year of its near-term climate goals set out in the Vision 2030 - Clean Energy for Tomorrow strategy. They now become the first Czech company with a confirmation that their long-term plan is sufficiently ambitious and in line with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. International verification of decarbonisation targets is increasingly being requested by banks, insurance companies and investment funds. This year, CEZ expects the emission intensity to decrease by 7% in comparison with last year.

The Czech Republic has taken another crucial step towards ensuring sufficient gas supplies for the future and replacing supplies from Russia. In cooperation with the government, ČEZ Group has contracted long-term annual capacity of 2 billion cubic metres at one of the onshore LNG terminals in Germany. This represents an investment in the further development of the Czech energy sector and strengthens the energy security of the Czech Republic. The Stade terminal will be located near Hamburg at the mouth of the Elbe River on the North Sea and will be commissioned by its operator, Hanseatic Energy Hub, in mid-2027.

The energy company CEZ has become a signatory to a UN initiative Women’s Empowerment Principles which supports companies in creation of equal opportunities and empowering women. Joining the global initiative is another step CEZ is taking towards achieving its long-term goal of increasing the share of women in management to 30%, a goal which the Czech energy company announced in 2021. In its activities to promote equal opportunities, CEZ focuses mainly on parenthood, a time which, according to many surveys, represents a crucial period for women in their careers. In addition to several current activities, the company is preparing an adaptation programme for people returning to work after parental leave and creation of an employee group.

Eemshaven was the very first terminal for liquefied natural gas put into operation in Europe after the start of the war in Ukraine. The facility can process up to eight billion cubic metres of gas a year, of which up to three billion are destined for the Czech Republic, a volume equal to more than a third of the country’s annual consumption. The multinationals Shell and Engie also use the terminal besides CEZ. No Russian gas has ever arrived at the terminal, one of the specific conditions in the tender.