Czech court temporarily halts nuclear plant signing with S. Korea: reports

A South Korean consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) had been scheduled to finalize the deal on Wednesday with Czech state-run energy company Elektrarna Dukovany II (EDU II), a subsidiary of the country's main electricity firm, CEZ.

However, according to multiple Czech media reports, the regional court in Brno, the Czech Republic's second-largest city, issued an injunction preventing CEZ from signing the estimated 26 trillion-won (US$18.6 billion) contract until it reviews a legal complaint filed by France's EDF, a losing bidder in the tender.

Last year, both EDF and another bidder, U.S.-based Westinghouse, filed complaints with the anti-monopoly office, Czech Office for the Protection of Competition (UOHS), over the government's selection process. In October, however, the UOHS rejected their appeals, prompting EDF to escalate the case to the court.

In July 2024, CEZ selected KHNP to construct two 1,000-megawatt reactors as part of the expansion of its Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, located about 200 kilometers south of Prague.

If finalized, the deal would mark South Korea's first overseas nuclear power plant project since 2009, when KHNP won the contract to build the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates.

Following the court's decision Tuesday, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala reaffirmed confidence in the government's selection process.

"I believe that the court is aware of all the context and risks, and will make a decision quickly," the prime minister said in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

A South Korean delegation led by Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun is scheduled to arrive in Prague later Tuesday. The delegation is expected to meet with the Czech prime minister for the contract signing.

The Czech Republic has been actively working to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and increase the share of nuclear energy, which accounts for about 40 percent of the country's energy supply. The government aims to raise this share to over 50 percent in the coming years.

The two new reactors are planned to complement Dukovany's existing four 510-megawatt units, which have been operational since the 1980s. The first of the new reactors is scheduled to begin trial operations by 2036, with the second expected about two years later.

Earlier it was reported that a South Korean delegation was set to travel to the Czech Republic on Tuesday to attend the signing ceremony of a multibillion-dollar nuclear power plant deal and discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation with the European country.