Nuclear energy activity rises with Dukovany maintenance and new reactor launches

The nuclear energy sector is seeing significant activity, highlighted by intensive maintenance at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant in the Czech Republic and the commissioning of new reactors globally. At Dukovany, the simultaneous planned outages of the third and fourth production blocks have mobilized approximately 3,000 workers, including specialized contractors, to perform maintenance, inspections, and modernizations. This scale of work is among the most demanding in recent years.

On an international scale, up to 15 new nuclear reactors are expected to begin operation this year. China and India are leading this expansion, with Russia's Rosatom also scheduled to launch five blocks across various countries. In Europe, the primary new development is the Mochovce 4 block in Slovakia. Operated by Slovenské elektrárne, the VVER-440 type block has initiated its first fission reaction, with plans to connect to the grid and reach full capacity by the end of the year. Key components for the Mochovce unit were supplied by Czech companies.