GEN Energija considering larger capacity for new unit in Krško nuclear plant

Government-controlled power company GEN Energija is considering the possibility for its new unit in its Krško nuclear power plant to be built with a larger capacity than initially planned due to changes in the conditions since the project began.

Prime Minister Robert Golob recently declared that Slovenia is determined to speed up the development of the Krško 2 project (JEK2) and bring it online as soon as 2037.

GEN Energija CEO Dejan Paravan now said GEN Group is tasked with implementing the transition to a self-sustaining and carbon-free energy system in Slovenia.

Investor interest in the Krško 2 project has also increased

The company is rapidly planning investments in renewable sources and nuclear energy, and continues to implement the planned procedure for Krško 2, to speed up the project, he asserted, adding preparations are underway for the spatial planning and permitting component.

During his speech at the international conference NENE – New Energy for New Europe, Paravan stressed that the environment in the energy sector has changed due to the energy crisis. The need to ensure a reliable supply of domestic electricity has increased as has the interest of domestic and foreign investors in the Krško 2 project, in his view.

It is why GEN Energija is seriously considering the possibility of installing a more powerful reactor, with a capacity of up to 2,400 MW, Paravan said.

Of note, this is not the first time that the option of a larger capacity of the planned unit was floated.

Final investment decision planned for 2028

Paravan previously revealed the company is working on a project for a reactor of 1,200 to 1,600 MW, while initially a capacity of 1,100 MW was envisaged. A 1,200 MW to 1,600 MW project would cost an estimated EUR 11 billion.

According to Bruno Glaser, head of the technical division at GEN Energija, the final investment decision is planned for 2028.

GEN Energija is the parent of GEN Group, owner of Nuklearna Elektrarna Krško (NEK), Savske Elektrarne Ljubljana (SEL), Hidroelektrarne na Spodnji Savi (HESS) and Termoelektrarna Brestanica (TEB), which operate nuclear, thermal and hydropower plants.