EDF continues in building the local supply chain in preparation for construction of new nuclear units in Czechia. EDF and its key partners GE and Framatome have already identified several hundred potential Czech suppliers and signed cooperation agreements with dozens of them. The latest series of agreements was signed with companies ZVVZ, VF Nuclear, CHEMCOMEX and CAPPA cooling.
Numerous Czech companies are already part of the EDF´s supply chain and are successfully delivering to the projects at British Hinkley Point C and French Flamanville. „We are very satisfied with ongoing cooperation with companies such as ZAT, MICo or Škoda JS,“ says Roman Zdebor, EDF Nuclear Czechia Branch Managing Director.
EDF Group, Europe's sole nuclear reactor technology provider, sees the Czech industry playing a crucial role in its proposed EPR and NUWARD SMR projects in the Czech Republic and throughout Europe. To realize this potential and establish concrete business relationships between Czech and French companies, a Czech-French Nuclear Summit was held in Belfort, France, in June of this year.
The city of Belfort carries historical significance in the European nuclear sector. The city hosts GE Steam Power, a strategic provider of steam turbines for EDF’s EPR and EPR1200 projects in France and worldwide. Frederic Wiscart, Executive Leader at GE Steam Power’s Nuclear Business expressed “Nuclear energy is one of the key pillars necessary to achieve cleaner, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. GE steam turbine and generator technology, including our Arabelle steam turbine manufactured in Belfort, operates in 50% of the world’s nuclear power plants. Together with EDF, we stand ready to support the Czech government and CEZ with state of the art turbine island technologies.”
Co-organised at the GE premises by the Czech Industrial alliance, CPIA, and its French counterpart, GIFEN, the summit saw the participation of over 30 Czech companies. In addition to learning about EDF’s participation to the tender for the construction a new nuclear pour plant in Dukovany with its EPR1200 technology, the participants were offered a deep dive into exploring EDF’s pipeline of projects in France, in the UK, but also in other European countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Netherlands - a boon for Czech companies renowned for their expertise and performance in nuclear.
The head of the CPIA delegation at the event, Peter Szenasy, expressed his deep gratitude to GIFEN, GE Steam Power and EDF for organizing the event. “The Czech delegation had many interesting and inspiring discussions with French partners. We are equally grateful to have the opportunity to see GE Steam Power's offices and manufacturing shop,” stated Szenasy.
EDF’s integrated offer for the construction of up to four ERP1200 units in Czechia will be submitted to CEZ early October this year. The world’s largest nuclear power producer and services provider is indeed planning on using the Czech nuclear programme as a springboard for other projects, even in France. The company has been leveraging its experience in building two EPR units at Hinkley Point C in the UK as tangible evidence of its ability to deliver on the Czech projects in Dukovany and Temelin with significant local value creation for the country. In the UK EDF has secured at least 64% of project value for the local regional and national economy. This proven value localisation approach is something the company plans to replicate in the Czech Republic should it win the tender.