JESS and Westinghouse Sign Contract for Project Engineering Services (2)

Bratislava, 28 October (TASR) - Representatives of the Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS) and US company Westinghouse on Wednesday signed a contract for the provision of preliminary project engineering services in connection with the new nuclear power facility in Jaslovske Bohunice. After the signing of the contract, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) admitted that the project had been delayed by eight to ten months. However, he believes that nothing will stop the process now. "I'm pleased that this technical document has been signed. It's a small step, but a very important one. After this, there will be even more serious steps to follow," said Fico. The new unit is to be rated at 1,100 megawatts (MW), whereas a capacity of 1,200 MW had previously been discussed, said Fico. As he told the US partners, he wants to make sure that the project preparation process becomes irreversible even after the 2027 elections. According to Westinghouse Senior Vice President Elias Gedeon, the company wants to start working on the study the very next day so that the Slovak government and JESS could get the necessary information as soon as possible in order to move on to the next steps. "We look forward to working with Slovak suppliers as well, and not only as regards the Jaslovske Bohunice project," added Gedeon. The Government Office said the study is intended to assess the key technical and engineering requirements of the planned power plant and provide Slovakia with the information needed to make qualified decisions regarding the next stages of the project. It should also help to lay the groundwork for reliable electricity supplies for future generations. According to Fico's previous statements, a contract for the construction of the nuclear power plant could be signed in 2027, while the new nuclear facility could be commissioned by 2040 at the site of the existing nuclear power plant in Jaslovske Bohunice (Trnava region). NOTE: This story has been extended to include paragraphs 5 and 6 jrg