The third and fourth units of the Mochovce nuclear power plant (EMO) will be completed a year or even a year and a half later than the plant's operator, Slovakia's dominant power producer Slovenske Elektrarne (SE), had originally said, stated Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek after the Cabinet meeting. SE informed that the commercial operation of the third unit would start in September 2012, while the fourth reactor should start producing electricity six months later. "I do not believe that Slovenske Elektrarne can keep this schedule. I estimate the delay in completion at a year to a year and a half. We will be closely observing the further course of the third and fourth units' completion," said Mr. Jahnatek.
The minister said that the one-year delay of the plant's completion will mean a shortfall of 800 MW of installed capacity for Slovakia. He stated that they simply counted on the announced date of completion in order to be able to balance needs and possibilities in 2012. If the completion date is delayed they will have to apply measures to solve the problem. "It is not something positive for Slovakia," the minister said.
SE, however, said that the completion of the units is going according to plan. "All is proceeding according to plan. What is most important is the role of main suppliers and that their prices correspond with costs projected in the feasibility study," said SE spokesman Juraj Kopriva.
Completion of the third and fourth units of Mochovce should cost EUR 1.8 billion, which is over SKK 54.22 billion. Preliminary selection of contractors has already been completed and negotiations with these should be completed this year. Interest in participating in the EMO completion was confirmed for SITA by the Czech company Skoda JS, a.s. as part of a consortium along with the Russian firm Atomstroyexport, and Slovak companies Enseco, a.s.; VUJE, a.s.; and Inzinierske Stavby Kosice, a.s. Through the end of August 2004, a total of SKK 19.9 billion, including interest on loans and bank fees, was spent on the two unfinished units. About 70 percent of the premises and 30 percent of the technology of the two units were completed by that date.
As of April 2006, Italian Enel holds a 66-percent stake in SE, and the remaining portion is in the hands of the state.