en.Wedoany.com Reported - Slovenské elektrárne announced on July 20 that Unit 4 of the Mochovce nuclear power plant has completed reactor assembly and is ready to enter the physical startup phase. Previously, the unit had been loaded with 349 fuel assemblies, followed by a series of inspections and tests over the subsequent two weeks to confirm that the primary circuit is ready for the next stage of VVER-440 unit startup.

The goal for Unit 4 is to supply electricity to the grid for the first time after the turbine generator is synchronized in late summer 2026. Thereafter, the unit's power will be gradually increased, with tests and inspections at each stage, culminating in a 144-hour full-power test. Martin Mráz, Project Manager for MO34, stated that completing the reactor assembly marks the completion of one of the key phases of physical startup, followed by strength and leak tests, pre-criticality tests, and then first criticality, i.e., achieving the first controlled fission chain reaction.

Branislav Strýček, Chairman and CEO of Slovenské elektrárne, noted that the company has successfully completed two key operations—nuclear fuel loading and reactor assembly—and has now entered the startup phase. Each milestone brings Slovakia closer to fully harnessing the potential of the Mochovce nuclear power plant, with the new unit set to power homes and businesses for decades to come.

The Mochovce nuclear power plant comprises four units. The first two VVER-440 units began construction in 1982 and entered operation in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Units 3 and 4 started construction in 1986 but were halted in 1992, with a completion project launched a decade later at an estimated cost of €6.7 billion ($7.6 billion). Unit 3 entered commercial operation in October 2023. Each unit operating at full capacity can meet 13% of Slovakia's electricity demand; when the 471 MW Unit 4 is commissioned, nuclear power will provide an amount equivalent to 77.5% of Slovakia's electricity consumption, the highest proportion among all countries.

The majority shareholder of Slovenské elektrárne is Slovenské elektrárne Holding, spol. s r.o. (SPH), held by the Czech energy group Energetický a průmyslový. The second-largest shareholder is the Slovak Republic, holding a 34% stake. Currently, Slovakia has five nuclear reactors in operation, generating approximately half of the country's electricity. In addition to the Mochovce units, two reactors are located at Bohunice, which entered commercial operation in 1984 and 1985, respectively. The Slovak government plans to build a new large unit at Bohunice and has been evaluating the possibility of deploying small modular reactors in the country.