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A view of the planned site for the Dukovany nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic. /Courtesy of Doosan Enerbility

Doosan Enerbility has begun identifying local equipment suppliers for the new Dukovany nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic. The company is expanding its pool of potential partners beyond steam turbines to include reactor internals and non-safety-class equipment. However, the recent visit was part of a preliminary evaluation rather than a supply agreement, and actual participation, equipment types and supply volumes will be determined after further assessments.

Doosan Enerbility announced Wednesday that it had visited the headquarters of ŠKODA JS in Plzeň, Czech Republic, from Nov. 2 to 5 to assess the technical and quality capabilities of local nuclear equipment manufacturers.

The company explained the technical requirements for nuclear safety-class and non-safety-class equipment, as well as its supplier evaluation procedures, to four companies: ŠKODA JS, MICo, BAEST and VÍTKOVICE. It also assessed the manufacturing capabilities and nuclear project experience of MICo, BAEST and VÍTKOVICE in relation to non-safety-class equipment.

For ŠKODA JS, Doosan Enerbility conducted preliminary assessments of its project management, engineering, manufacturing and quality capabilities. It also inspected the company's large equipment and control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) manufacturing facilities and reviewed potential cooperation on certain components, including reactor internals.

ŠKODA JS is a nuclear equipment manufacturer that became a wholly owned subsidiary of Czech energy company ČEZ in 2022. It is a separate company from Doosan Škoda Power, Doosan Enerbility's Czech subsidiary. Its operations include manufacturing control rod drive mechanisms and reactor internals, as well as nuclear power plant maintenance and engineering services.

During the visit, Doosan Enerbility also met with executives from Elektrárna Dukovany II (EDU II), the project owner for Dukovany Units 5 and 6, ČEZ and ŠKODA JS to discuss ways for local suppliers to participate in the supply chain. The company plans to hold follow-up technical discussions with ŠKODA JS early next year and further evaluate potential equipment categories for cooperation.

The company explained that the participation of Czech firms would not necessarily reduce the volume of orders awarded to South Korean suppliers. Doosan Enerbility intends to maintain its core supply chain centered on domestic partners while using Czech companies with expertise in meeting the regulatory requirements of the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SÚJB) and obtaining local permits as supplementary partners. The company also plans to apply the same technical, quality and pricing criteria to both domestic and foreign bidders for non-safety-class equipment.

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and EDU II signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Dukovany Units 5 and 6 in June last year. In February this year, Doosan Enerbility signed a contract worth approximately 320 billion won with its subsidiary Doosan Škoda Power to supply steam turbines, generators and turbine control systems.

"We will continue cooperating with our domestic suppliers while working with Czech companies that have strengths in meeting local regulatory requirements to ensure safety and the timely completion of the project," a Doosan Enerbility official said.

The results of these assessments are expected to help establish a supply chain not only for Dukovany Units 5 and 6 but also for potential future nuclear power projects in the Czech Republic, including Temelín Units 3 and 4.

                                                                                                                Han Dae-ui