Czech reactors could supply heat

Friday, 20 August 2010

Plans are under consideration for a district heating network for the city of Brno, 40 kilometres from the Dukovany nuclear power plant.

 

Dukovany features four VVER reactors with a total thermal power of 5500 MW. Plant systems convert 1760 MW of this into electricity for transmission over the grid, but some of the leftover heat could in future be piped to homes and businesses.

 

Dukovany with three of four reactors in operation. (Image: Petr Adamek)

 

An environmental impact assessment for plans by plant owner CEZ was put to regional officials at the end of July, which is expected to take up to two years to evaluate. Should it get the go-ahead CEZ would need another two years or more to install the feeder pipeline, which would be more than 40 kilometres long.

 

Benefits for the residents of Brno would come in the shape of reduced emissions and stabilized heating prices. The supply should also be very reliable: There have been no unplanned shutdowns at Dukovany's four reactors in the last ten years.

 

Feasibility studies for a new reactor at Dukovany are expected to be completed this year and CEZ has said it is likely to ask for an environmental assessment when this is completed. The company is also tendering for the construction of two new reactors at its other nuclear power plant, Temelin, where some heat is already sent to a town just five kilometres away.

 

Yet a third new-build project for CEZ concerns the Bohunice power plant in neighbouring Slovakia, where the company has set up a joint venture for new build with the Slovakian state decommissioning company Javys.
  
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News