SEOUL — South Korea's Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) has been named the preferred bidder for a major nuclear plant construction project in the Czech Republic, signaling a significant expansion of its international footprint in nuclear energy.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean state-run nuclear agency surpassed competitors, including France's EDF, to potentially secure its first international nuclear project since 2009. The project involves constructing four 1,200-megawatt nuclear reactors at Dukovany and Temelin in the Czech Republic. This development follows KHNP's last overseas venture, the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates.
The consortium led by KHNP includes key South Korean firms such as KEPCO E&C, KEPCO Nuclear Fuel, KEPCO KPS, Doosan Enerbility Co., and Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. With an estimated project value of approximately 30 trillion won (US$21.6 billion), this venture is expected to play a pivotal role in South Korea's deeper penetration into the European nuclear energy market, with potential future expansions into Poland, the Netherlands, and Romania. The final decision on the bid is anticipated to be announced in the first half of next year.