The nuclear power plant in central Slovakia's Mochovce could one day have five reactors, according to Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek.

Jahnatek raised the possibility in addition to the possible completion of the third and fourth reactor blocs at Mochovce. Power producer Slovenske Elektrarne, which operates the Mochovce plant, is to decide whether to complete the third and fourth blocs by the end of April.

The minister also said that new nuclear power sources could be built in Jaslovske Bohunice in western Slovakia and Kecerovce in eastern Slovakia.

According to Jahnatek, the new power plants could be financed from both private and public sources.

Speaking at an international conference called "The Future of Jaslovske Bohunice" yesterday, the minister also said definitively that Slovakia will use the infrastructure from the V1 reactor blocs at the Jaslovske Bohunice plant which are due to stop generating electricity in 2008. He did not specify how the decommissioned facility would be used.

Slovakia shut down the first V1 reactor on the last day of 2006, while it is required under a deal with the EU to close the second V1 reactor by the end of 2008.

Jahnatek repeated that the decision to shut down the V1 reactors was "purely political" rather than due to any deficiencies in the plant.

"We are shutting down V1 because we respect the rule of law," he said for the SITA news wire.

Slovakia committed to the closure of the bloc as part of its negotiations to enter the EU in 2004.

SOURCE: Slovak Spectator

Topics: NPP, East Europe, Slovakia