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Czech Dukovany nuclear power plant. / Source: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power

The stalled Czech nuclear power plant deal is moving forward again after a French legal challenge was dismissed. The Czech Supreme Administrative Court has overturned an injunction request filed by France’s EDF (Électricité de France), clearing the path for a final contract signing between Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Czech energy company ČEZ. The project had faced about a three-month delay due to the legal dispute.

According to Reuters and other reports on June 4, the Czech Supreme Administrative Court confirmed a ruling to cancel the injunction that had prohibited a new nuclear plant construction contract between KHNP and Dukovany II (EDU II), a subsidiary of ČEZ.

KHNP and EDU II had originally planned to sign a $18 billion deal on May 6 to build the new Dukovany Units 5 and 6. However, just before the contract ceremony, EDF filed an injunction request with the Brno Regional Court, which was granted, halting the event. Despite the presence of a South Korean government delegation—including Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun and Land Minister Park Sang-woo—at the site, no deal could be finalized.

In response, the Czech government moved quickly. It convened a cabinet meeting and completed necessary pre-approval procedures for the deal with KHNP, allowing the contract to be finalized immediately after the injunction was lifted. In parallel, KHNP and EDU II appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court to cancel the injunction.

With the court now removing the last legal obstacle, observers expect KHNP’s final contract to proceed smoothly. Industry insiders note that EDF had previously filed two similar objections, both of which were dismissed, suggesting that this latest challenge was also likely to fail. Given the Czech government’s clear commitment to signing with KHNP, expectations are high that the contract signing date will soon be confirmed.