Seoul demands more responsibility from KHNP at Dukovany after talks with builders collapse

South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Kim Jung-kwan, wrote on X on Sunday, 1 November, that South Korea is not backing away from completing the expansion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant, oEnergetice.cz reported, citing the ČTK news agency. At the same time the minister criticised KHNP, asking it to show more responsibility and leadership, listen more to its partners and actively resolve disagreements.

What happened. On Thursday, 29 October, KHNP announced that it was ending without agreement the talks on the construction works contract with the Korean consortium Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Doosan Enerbility, citing different positions on fundamental conditions. The company wants to terminate its cooperation agreement with the consortium and prepare a new tender for a construction contractor, keeping some of the work in-house in the meantime. On the same day, according to broadcaster SBS, Kim Jung-kwan had written that he respects KHNP's decision and that the project can no longer be delayed.

The numbers. The two new reactors cost 407 billion koruna at last year's prices. According to the plans published so far, construction of the first unit should start in 2029, with completion expected in 2036.

Czech reactions. Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček said the schedule is not at risk. ČEZ chief executive Daniel Beneš said the news cannot be played down but that, according to his information, the schedule is not under threat, stressing that the contract with KHNP includes a fixed price, a fixed schedule and penalties. The investor EDU II, headed by Petr Závodský, said KHNP retains all its contractual obligations.

What comes next. Analysts cited by ČTK do not expect KHNP to withdraw, but say keeping to the agreed price and schedule will be difficult. Other procurement continues: at the end of October KHNP launched a restricted tender for hybrid cooling towers, involving two consortia that include Czech firms, and wants to sign the contract in the first half of 2027.

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