The cavalry is arrived on the Temelin tender in the Czech Republic. After the first round of bidding, three dozen companies are dropped out who have taken tender documents "just to read". As predicted, in the second round only three left - the Czech-Russian consortium with the project MIR, AREVA and the alliance "Westinghouse" and "Westinghouse".

Doubling of words in the preceding paragraph - not an corrector's error. The American company "Westinghouse" came to tender along with his Czech daughter. A simple in its genius move will allow the Americans to ensure that, where appropriate, the localization level would be equal to 100%. The subcontractors' nationality is less concern for the Czechs than that of the general contractors. Nevertheless, from 30 to 40 Czech companies have already fallen to the list of future performers in the event of victory of the Americans.

AREVA Group waiting for change. In Paris, a report is about to be prepared by the Roussely commission with considerations on how to reorganize the French nuclear industry, which is in distress due to personal conflicts between managers and which is dealign with new setbacks and defeats - from losing tenders in China and the UAE to massive problems with steam generators at nuclear power plants of France.

The French sources predict that the Roussely commission would enable the Government to make a recommendation to rely mainly on international tenders for the company "Electricite de France" (EdF). We can only guess what is in store for the Temelin tender, and would it follow by an urgent player replacement.

The Czech company Skoda-JS, a member of the alliance with the Russians, explained its positions after a long silence. In an article published in the magazine "Ekonom", which is according to informed sources closed to the view of "Skoda", there is very clear statement - the Czechs could go to tender their own, and they go together with Russians due to the organizers' demand only.

"Why Plsen company is not participated in the upcoming tender by itself? The conditions of the tender say clearly: the participant must fully possess all know-how for nuclear plant or at least for nuclear reactor. Namely, the OKB Gidropress posses it. The Atomstroyexport, another Russian company in the MIR alliance, is responsible for organizing the construction, "- said the article.

Translating the above into a public language, one can come to a surprising conclusion - if the conditions of the tender allowed to sell stolen goods, then the Russians in Temelin would not have been. Even more interesting conclusion - if entry of Podolsk company into the alliance looks reasonable, then the Atomstroyexport, according to the article, appears in the position of the third redundant, since possession of know-how to organize the construction trades is not a required condition.

While U.S. lobbyists in Prague revel in the restaurants, anticipating his imminent victory, the Czech engineering plants argue - they do not care who will be the first of the three. Thus, the plant "Vitkovice Machinery Group", as the "Ekonom" magazine says, managed to get offers of cooperation and of the "Westinghouse", and on the "Skoda", and from AREVA.

If so, the Czech companies have nothing to worry about. They will have the job in any case. Meanwhile, the Czechs can slowly upgrade the memory of the Russian, U.S. and European standards and to bet on the atomic tote.

Conditions of the tender suggest that the winner build the units ##3-4 of Temelin NPP. It is also possible that it will receive preferential rights to build three more units at nuclear power plants of the Czech Republic and Slovakia - Dukovany "and" Bohunice ". Bidding conducts the Czech energy company CEZ, controlled by the state, but with significant capital and maintain a certain proportion of independence.

Russian electronic edition AtomInfo.Ru and Czech newspaper Prague Telegraph will continue to work together to illuminate the course of the struggle for the Temelin orders.

SOURCE: AtomInfo.Ru

DATE: April 08, 2010

Topics: NPP, East Europe, Czech, NPP Temelin, Skoda JS