Slovakia signalled Wednesday it is ready to team up with Russia's Rosatom if Czech energy giant CEZ walks out of a deal on the construction of a new nuclear reactor.
"CEZ is considering selling its stake in a joint project with Slovakia to Rosatom," the leftist government led Prime Minister Robert Fico, a staunch supporter of nuclear energy, said on its website.
The Slovak government picked CEZ as a partner for a new nuclear project in 2008, when it set up a joint venture in which CEZ owns 49 percent and the state holds the remaining 51 percent.
The government said Rosatom could build one or two new reactors with a total output of 2,400 megawatts at the Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear plant, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) northeast of Bratislava.
Rosatom would like to see a long-term fixed prices for the energy produced at the new reactor, according to Slovak Economy Minister Tomas Malatinsky.
Slovakia, where nuclear power covers 55 percent of overall electricity demand, closed two reactors near Jaslovske Bohunice in 2006 and 2008 to honour a pledge made before Slovakia's 2004 EU accession.
Top Slovak power producer Slovenske Elektrarne (SE) — controlled by Italian energy group Enel — still operates two units there along with another two at the nuclear power plant in Mochovce, western Slovakia.
SE expects to launch two more reactors at Mochovce in 2014 and 2015.
CEZ was originally expected to start building the new unit in 2014, but increased emphasis on nuclear safety in the EU and CEZ's focus on projects in the Czech Republic have slowed the project.
The Slovak government never held a tender for the reactor before teaming up with CEZ in 2008 and there are no plans to hold a tender now.
