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Czech supreme court lifts block on KHNP's nuclear plant deal

Published: 04 Jun. 2025, 18:19 Updated: 04 Jun. 2025, 19:28

YOON SO-YEON
[email protected]

The Dukovany Nuclear Power Station in the Czech Republic, where Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power won an $18 billion deal to build two nuclear reactors [SARAH CHEA]

The Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic lifted a lower court's injunction that had temporarily blocked the country from signing a contract with a Korean consortium led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) for the construction of new nuclear units at the Dukovany nuclear power plant.

KHNP and Elektrarna Dukovany II (EDU II), a subsidiary of Czech state-run utility CEZ, initially planned to sign the final contract for an estimated 26 trillion won ($18.6 billion) project on May 7.

The deal was derailed, however, when French energy firm EDF, who had bid against the KHNP-led consortium for the project and lost, challenged CEZ's selection process in a regional court. A day before the scheduled signing ceremony, the court issued a preliminary injunction halting the finalizing of the contract until it could rule on EDF's suit. EDU II and KHNP appealed the regional court's decision.

EDF has also filed a complaint with the European Union claiming that KHNP violated its Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The EU is currently reviewing whether to launch an investigation.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]