By Park Si-soo
The government has decided to join the bidding for a $10 billion nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, officials said Tuesday.
The Czech government is expected to receive applications from bidders starting early next year.
KEPCO, a state-run power company, will vie with at least two other bidders ― the Westinghouse (U.S.)-Toshiba (Japan) consortium and the AtomStroyExport (Russia)-Skoda (Czech) consortium, they said.
The Seoul government delivered its formal intention to join the process through KEPCO officials who participated in a Korea-Czech nuclear forum in early June in the European country.
"Chances are high that KEPCO will win the rights. Its capability was proven with its successful construction of a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates," said Chae Gyu-nam, an energy ministry official familiar with the case. "The event has left many other countries with strong impressions about KEPCO and its advanced nuclear technologies."
This is the Czech Republic's second attempt to build two nuclear power plants in Temelin, a small town 130 kilometers south of Prague. It called off its first push in April 2009 for economic reasons.
KEPCO did not take part in the 2009 bidding to concentrate on the UAE project.
President Park Geun-hye visited the UAE in May and observed the installation of a Korea-made nuclear reactor, an event marking the end of the five-year-long nuclear project in the oil-rich Middle East nation. During the trip, Park and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pledged to expand bilateral cooperation on energy, national defense and medical services, among other things.
"The Czech government was very interesting in bringing Korea into the bidding process. This indicates our nuclear technologies and knowhow have been recognized internationally," Chae said. "We are making preparations thoroughly in order not to miss the opportunity."
The government has decided to join the bidding for a $10 billion nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, officials said Tuesday.
The Czech government is expected to receive applications from bidders starting early next year.
KEPCO, a state-run power company, will vie with at least two other bidders ― the Westinghouse (U.S.)-Toshiba (Japan) consortium and the AtomStroyExport (Russia)-Skoda (Czech) consortium, they said.
The Seoul government delivered its formal intention to join the process through KEPCO officials who participated in a Korea-Czech nuclear forum in early June in the European country.
"Chances are high that KEPCO will win the rights. Its capability was proven with its successful construction of a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates," said Chae Gyu-nam, an energy ministry official familiar with the case. "The event has left many other countries with strong impressions about KEPCO and its advanced nuclear technologies."
This is the Czech Republic's second attempt to build two nuclear power plants in Temelin, a small town 130 kilometers south of Prague. It called off its first push in April 2009 for economic reasons.
KEPCO did not take part in the 2009 bidding to concentrate on the UAE project.
President Park Geun-hye visited the UAE in May and observed the installation of a Korea-made nuclear reactor, an event marking the end of the five-year-long nuclear project in the oil-rich Middle East nation. During the trip, Park and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pledged to expand bilateral cooperation on energy, national defense and medical services, among other things.
"The Czech government was very interesting in bringing Korea into the bidding process. This indicates our nuclear technologies and knowhow have been recognized internationally," Chae said. "We are making preparations thoroughly in order not to miss the opportunity."
