Czech nuclear machine building enterprise "Skoda-JS" had finished 2007 successfully.This have declared in Plzen (Czech Republic) "Skoda-JS" president and director-general Miroslav Fiala, board member and sales director Irzgi Demish and technical director Yan Zdebor during the press-conference before the group of Russian and Czech journalists, including AtomInfo.Ru reporter.
History of the nuclear "Skoda"
Work upon the nuclear program at "Skoda" enterprises started in 1956 - nearly 100 years after "Skoda" company foundation. In 1974 Czech factories joined in with VVER reactors equipment producing.
1980 and 1989 were important years for the "Skoda" nuclear sector when first VVER-440 and VVER-1000 reactors, correspondingly, were built there. From 1993 nuclear division was privatized and reorganized into "Skoda-JS s.r.o." - company that became a subsidiary of "Skoda" industrial holding. Beginning from 1999 "Skoda-JS" is a stock company.
2004 is a new stage in Czech nuclear machine building industry development. Russian company OMZ became an owner of "Skoda-JS". Today "Skoda-JS" considers itself to be the leader in the sphere of supplies for the nuclear industry in the Middle Europe. Personnel of the Czech company is 760 employees.
Preliminary financial performance of "Skoda-JS" in 2007 was rather favorable. Total proceeds made up 98,351 mln. euro including the following sectors:
"Skoda-JS" expected profit in 2007 is 5,748 mln. euro (before taxing). It is less than in 2006 (7,573 mln. euro) and twice less than in 2005 (10,314 mln. euro). At the same time Czech enterprise still remains to be more profitable comparing with the period before it has come under OMZ control.
Key "Skoda-JS" projects
One of the key projects in the sphere of engineering that is being realized by "Skoda-JS" specialists is considered to be the modernization of monitoring and control systems at NPP "Dukovany" with four VVER-440 reactors. CHEZ generating enterprise is a customer of the modernization. "Skoda-JS" is a general supplier of M1-M5 modules, and such well-known companies as "Areva NP", DSS, "ZAT Pribram" and "I&C Energo" were involved as subcontractors.
New equipment was installed at NPP "Dukovany" units during regular repairing. Completion of installation work and adjustment at M1 and M2 modules was planned for the year 2009, and at M3-M5 modules for 2015. According to Miroslav Fiala words price of the first contract (at M1-M5) comes up to 7 bln. korunas and of the second stage - 4,5 bln. korunas.
Participation in completion of the third and the fourth units at "Mohovtze" NPP in Slovakia will be a very important and interesting project for Czech machine builders. Consortium, created by "Skoda-JS" was rather successfully qualified and gained a proposal to present tender documentation that will be issued to the end of May 2008. In the judgment of "Skoda-JS" management it is real to sign the contract for the completion of Slovak units to the end of this year. Though the exact price of the contract is still unknown, it may be 30 bln. Slovakian korunas. Commissioning of "Mohovize-3" is planned for September 2012, and "Mohovtze-4" - for the March 2013.
But on the Russian market the most successful "Skoda-JS" contract was realized in 2002-2004 out of the nuclear sector. According to the order of "Severgasprom" Czechs reconstructed a natural gas reprocessing plant in the city of Sosnogorsk (Komi Republic). This project appeared to be the largest Czech contract in Russia after 1998 and its cost reached 107 mln. euros. A credit from the Czech export bank was demanded to realize the project.
Equipment producing for NPP
Not long ago "Skoda-JS" was a member of an elite club of vessels and other heavy equipment producers for light-water reactors under pressure. Within the period between 1980-1992 in Plzen 21 sets for VVER-440 reactors and 3 sets for VVER-1000 were produced.
Among other equipment produced at "Skode-JS" for NPP control element drives can be mentioned. Czech have supplied more than 800 drives to the units with VVER-1000 reactor. Lifetime of the modernized versions of these drives is 30 years and they are equipped with the new SGIY-M control system. Czech NPP ?Temelin? and four Ukrainian nuclear power plants (South-Ukrainian, Rovenskaya, Khmelnitskaya and Zaporogskaya) are among "Skoda-JS" clients.
Czech machine builders offer PRO-M drives to the consumers that exploit VVER-440. More than 800 pieces were supplied. In recent years 76 drives were purchased by Hungarian NPP "Paksh" and 43 drives by Rovenskaya NPP (Ukrain).
"Skoda-JS" became the first manufacturer of some vessel internals of EPR-1600 reactors. Inner parts and pressure ring of the French reactor facility for the "Olkilyoto-3" unit (Finland) are under work in Plzen on the "Areva NP" order. Supplies of this equipment to the facility will take place during 2008-2009.
Among other equipment produced at "Skoda-JS" nutrunner that can tighten all the bolts and that is issued in cooperation with the german company "Wenutec" for the NPP "Dukovany" is remarkable.
CASTOR and CONSTOR tanks for spent fuel transportation and storage are produced in Plzen under the long-term contract with "GNS Essen" company. And at the expense of US Department of Energy through IAEA - VPVR/M tanks to remove fuel from research reactors are also produced there.
"Skoda-JS" company makes servicing for NPPs. Among those are neutron-physical, thermohydraulic and other types of calculations, exploitation reactor control, repair works. Modernization of the polar crane is prepared at the fifth and the sixth units of Bulgarian NPP "Kozlody" per sample of the same operation implemented by "Skoda-JS" specialists at NPP "Temelin".
Possible "Skoda-JS" participation in Russian nuclear program
Different ways of "Skoda-JS" participation in Russian nuclear program are obvious. Czech company can offer Russian companies engineering services, complete deliveries of the first circuit equipment and coordination of Czech companies that are involved in the Russian nuclear industry.
"Skoda-JS" management is sure of being capable of producing equipment for the future Russian projects, including VVER-1200 and VVER-1500 if necessary.
NPP "Belene" in Bulgaria can become an interesting and mutually beneficial cooperation alternative for Czechs and Russians. "Skoda-JS" is ready to cooperate with "Atomstroyexport" in such areas as:
"Skoda-JS" can also provide a guarantee for the equipment supplied at Belene earlier and provide necessary servicing.
SOURCE: AtomInfo.Ru
DATE: May 28, 2008
Topics: East Europe, Czech, Skoda JS