September 22 (SeeNews) - Slovenian state-run energy group Gen-Energija considers expanding the planned capacity of a projected second unit at Krsko nuclear power plant (NPP) to 2,400 MW from 1,100 MW, local media reported.
"Gen-Energija decided to expand the range of possible options and to pave the way for more powerful units, in the extreme case in the range of up to 2400 MW, or, given that the chosen place in Vrbina pri Krsko allows, to even decide on two nuclear units," news agency STA quoted CEO Dejan Paravan as saying on Thursday.
A decision to go for a unit with higher capacity would make it possible for France's EDF and South Korea's KHNP to participate in the project, as so far only Westinghouse has offered to provide a unit of 1,100 MW, Paravan explained.
The planned capacity increase was made possible by a change of the Slovenian legislation which no longer sets the limit to 1,100 MW, while the energy crisis led to an even greater need for electricity, and the interest of neighboring countries in co-investing in the project also increased, he noted.
Earlier this year, energy minister Bojan Kumer said Slovenia will be able to make a decision on the construction of a second unit at Krsko NPP in 2024 at the earliest. The timing of the decision, which will likely be voted on at a referendum, depends on the conclusions of a feasibility study being prepared by Gen-Energija as a potential investor, Kumer said.
Krsko NPP, located in Slovenia near the border with Croatia, generates some 40% of Slovenia's electricity output. The NPP is located around 100 kilometers from Austria and operates a Westinghouse pressurised light water reactor of 2,000 MW thermal power capacity. The operating company Nuklearna elektrarna Krsko (NEK) is co-owned by Gen-Energija and Croatian power utility Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP).
