He added that Bratislava wants to build a new reactor, together with the USA, on the site of the partially decommissioned Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant.
— Working with American partners, we want to build a new, huge unit on the site of the existing nuclear power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice, which will entirely belong to the state, Robert Fico told journalists.
Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant
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Mateusz Madejski / Business Insider
His statements show that the power of the planned reactor will be almost 1,200 megawatts. This would be much more than the capacity of individual nuclear units operated in the country by the largest energy company, Slovenske Elektrarne (SE).
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Prime Minister Fico announced plans to conclude an intergovernmental agreement between Slovakia and the USA on cooperation in nuclear energy already in December last year, when he announced that he had received an invitation to Washington from the American president.
The government approved plans to build a new state-owned unit a year ago, but withdrew from announcing a tender for a technology supplier. The American company Westinghouse is to be awarded the construction order. According to the opposition, which criticizes this approach to the development of nuclear energy, the government is to pay EUR 15 billion for the construction.
Four blocks were built in Jaslovské Bohunice in the 1970s using Soviet technology. After joining the European Union, Slovakia turned off the two oldest of them and finally closed them down in the summer of 2025. The remaining two units, with a capacity of 500 MW each, were modernized in 2005-2006 and are expected to operate for the next 40 years. In Slovakia, three units are also operated in Mochovce in the southern part of the country. They are newer than those in Jaslovské Bohunice. Two were built in the late 1990s. The third one started supplying electricity in 2023. The fourth one, already built, is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year. final tests before starting the commissioning process.
In 2024, over 60 percent electricity produced in Slovakia came from nuclear power.
