EDF’s proposal for the Dukovany 5 Nuclear Power Plant Project is based on the principle of providing a long-term, sustainable, carbon-free solution for the future energy mix of the Czech Republic that also guarantees energy safety, security, and economic development for its citizens.
EDF is committed to provide EDUII, ČEZ and the Czech Republic an offer designed to facilitate the emergence of a sovereign and independent Czech nuclear programme.
EDF’s objective is to bring the Czech Republic into the European EPR family. The ensuing partnership, proposed in EDF’s offer submitted on 30 Nov 2022, will set the framework for long-term synergies and collaboration between Czech and French nuclear industries for the success of Dukovany 5, but also Dukovany 6 and Temelín 3&4.
By joining the EPR family EDUII, ČEZ and Czech Republic would gain access to:
- EPR1200 technology: adapted from EDF’s flagship GEN3+ European EPR technology, EPR1200 is designed to fit the needs defined by ČEZ and the Czech government
- EPR Owner Operator Group: access to the lessons-learned and sharing of experience brought by EPR construction projects and operating EPR plants in Europe and the world
- Secured access to services, equipment, and fuel thanks to a robust and growing European EPR family and European supply chain
- Engagement and synergies with EDF’s EPR supply chain; creating opportunities for the Czech industry participation in other EPR projects outside the Czech Republic
- Reenforced technological, industrial, and political alignment between France and the Czech Republic in defending the future role of nuclear in the Europe
The Czech nuclear programme at Dukovany and Temelín carries many similarities and opportunities for synergy with the French nuclear programme. In February 2022, President Emanuel Macron confirmed the launch of a six EPR2 reactor programme in France (with the option for eight additional reactors in the second phase). The public consultation process has already begun for the first pair of units at Penly in Normandy, and the French government has recently unveiled a bill to speed up procedures related to the construction of new nuclear plants in the country. Preliminary site works at Penly will begin as soon as in 2024.
EDF Strategy to Create Value in the Czech Republic
EDF’s proposal to EDUII, ČEZ and the Czech Republic for Dukovany 5 is the only fully integrated and independent offer available that maximises the potential of the Czech nuclear industry.
EDF and the French nuclear industry have over 40 years of experience in delivering new nuclear projects with high localized value in countries across the world. The French nuclear industry has extensive experience in exporting nuclear technology, in particular to China, South Korea, South Africa, Brazil, Finland and the United Kingdom.
EDF has perfected a comprehensive localization strategy that allows to maximise the value created by EDF’s projects on both local and national levels. Most of the value invested in the Dukovany 5 EPR1200 will remain in the Czech Republic.
EDF’s localization process has been adapted to incorporate the already impressive and experienced industrial skills and capacity of the Czech nuclear industry.
EDF’s localization process for EPR projects in Europe has proven its efficiency, namely in the United Kingdom, where the construction of two EPR units at Hinkley Point C is allocating 64% of the total value of the project to British businesses. Across the United Kingdom, 22,000 people are currently working on HPC representing 3,600 British businesses.
Several major Czech companies are already part of the EPR supply chain, participating in EPR projects in the UK and Finland. EDF hopes to further intensify collaboration with Czech companies so that they could participate in future EPR development not only in the Czech Republic but also in the rest of Europe, including in France.
EDF’s EPR1200 Technology: Integrated, European, Independent
The offer submitted to ČEZ on 30 Nov 2022 contains a complete, comprehensive, detailed and adapted technical solution for the Czech Republic: EPR1200.
Safety and Performance are EDF’s paramount priorities
The proposed EPR1200 technology consists of a 1200MW Generation 3+ pressurized nuclear water reactor designed to meet the most stringent safety and performance requirements in Europe.
- EPR1200 benefits from the same safety characteristics as EDF’s optimized EPR2 technology, which fully incorporates operational and safety requirements defined by the AIEA, WENRA and French Nuclear Regulator (ASN), and passes post-Fukushima stress tests
- EPR1200 incorporates EPR2 design optimizations as well as construction and operation feedback from all current EPR projects
- All major design options of EPR1200 have been reviewed and accepted by the French Nuclear Regulator
- EPR1200 integrates proven passive and active safety features that ensure reliability, cost effectiveness and optimized safety performance
- EPR1200 leverages EDF’s unrivalled experience in flexible nuclear power production in ‘load-following’ mode
Leveraging EDF’s unique industrial experience
EPR1200 is the latest adaptation of EPR technology; leveraging the lessons learned of the largest nuclear fleet operated worldwide, with more than 2000 reactor-years of cumulated operating experience.
The core EPR technology behind EPR1200 has already proven its robustness and adaptability to a variety of regulatory and licensing regimes. EPR technology has been adapted to three European countries and licensed by three recognized Safety Authorities (Finland, UK, and France).
EPR1200 benefits from the cumulative lessons learned from other EPR projects, including design adaptations in diverse regulatory, environmental and construction environments.
An independent European technology
EDF has a complete ownership and mastery of the EPR1200 design: basic design and detailed design are all realised in-house within EDF, its subsidiaries and local partners.
EDF brings in manufacturing capabilities for large components (reactor pressure vessel, steam generators, pressurizer, primary pumps) thanks to its subsidiary, Framatome.
EDF offers a single point of entry for project management as the general contractor of the project and will be the sole interface for ČEZ during the entire project.
Some Past and Upcoming Key Events
In June 2021, EDF held a French - Czech EDF Suppliers’ Day dedicated to mobilising the Czech nuclear supply chain in the EDF-led EPR1200 reactor offer for the Dukovany 5 nuclear power plant. The event was a major success gathering more than 50 leading Czech companies.
On 29 Jun 2022, EDF held its first Czech- French EDF Partners’ Day. It offered a unique opportunity for Czech and French industrial partners to coordinate the preparation of EDF’s EPR1200 proposal and to share insight and aspirations for the Dukovany 5 project as we work together to further the integration of a significant local portion into EDF’s proposal to build the first EPR1200 in the Czech Republic.
In June 2022, EDF announced the opening of its permanent EDF Nuclear Czechia branch in Prague, headed by Mr. Roman Zdebor. EDF Nuclear Czechia supports all EDF’s nuclear activities in the Czech Republic, with a prime focus on contributing to the consolidation of EDF’s EPR1200 bid for the Dukovany 5 tendering process launched by ČEZ as well as on promoting EDF’s SMR NUWARD™ at Temelín.
In October 2022, EDF held its first Czech Suppliers Academy. This marks EDF’s commitment to provide its Czech partners and prospective suppliers with training on EDF’s safety culture, EPR1200 technology as well as the required codes, standards, and practices, to become an EPR1200 supplier.
As of November 2022, EDF has already identified about 200 Czech companies to integrate into the Czech supply chain. Approximately 70 of them have already been prequalified. EDF has also signed agreements on future cooperation with some of the most important companies in the sector, such as Škoda JS, ZAT, Sigma and I&C Energo.
In the coming months leading up to the final offer submission in 2023, EDF plans to accelerate its localization strategy by:
- Speeding up the supplier’s identification and prequalification
- Engaging with Czech Industrial clusters
- Coordinating Academy training sessions for suppliers
- Facilitating concrete steps towards synergies between French and Czech industrial companies