The Slovak government has tasked its economy and finance ministers to draw up a plan for a new nuclear power plant by the end of October, after agreeing to back the project, the government office said.
The ministries would present a plan for an up to 1,200 megawatt plant, including a selection process for a supplier as well as timing and financing of the project.
The new plant would be built at the site of the existing nuclear power plant at Jaslovske Bohunice.
Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Monday it would be fully state-owned, unlike the country's current two nuclear plants at Bohunice and Mochovce, which are operated by partially state-owned Slovenske Elektrarne.
Economy Minister Denisa Sakova has said the supplier of the new unit would be picked in a tender, with Russia's Rosatom not allowed to compete. She said she expected French, U.S., or Korean companies as potential bidders to build the plant.
Nuclear power has drawn renewed interest by several European countries amid a drive for carbon-free energy, including Slovakia's neighbours Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
