Slovenia will initiate a three-month public consultation on July 1 as part of the spatial planning process for a new reactor unit at the existing Krsko Nuclear Power Plant. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning will release the draft plan for public review, while GEN Energija, the project developer, had already submitted its formal proposal to the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy in October.
Recognized as a strategic and intergenerational infrastructure project of national significance, the expansion includes the opening of information centers in Krsko, Ljubljana, Maribor and Nova Gorica. These centers aim to inform citizens and collect public input. Cross-border environmental impact assessments will follow as part of the planning process.
The proposed project involves the construction of one or two new reactors with a combined capacity of up to 2,400 MW, to be located near the existing 696 MW pressurized water reactor at Krsko, which currently provides around one-third of Slovenia’s electricity. The existing facility is jointly owned by Slovenian company GEN Energija and Croatia’s HEP Group.
In 2023, GEN’s project team held talks with French utility EDF, U.S.-based Westinghouse, and Korean company KHNP to assess potential technology partners. Preliminary cost estimates range from €9.3 billion for a 1,000 MW unit to €15.4 billion for a 1,650 MW installation. KHNP withdrew from the process in January, citing shifts in strategic priorities, leaving EDF and Westinghouse to continue detailed feasibility studies, expected to conclude in the third quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, Croatia has reiterated its interest in joining the Krsko expansion. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković expressed support for continued collaboration under the current joint ownership model or through a new partnership structure to ensure long-term electricity security for both nations.