Dear Colleagues,

It is my greatest pleasure, on behalf of the Organizing Committee to welcome you to attend the 2nd Central & Eastern Europe Nuclear New Build Congress 2015, which will be held on November 24-25th, 2015, in Warsaw, Poland.

Central and Eastern Europe is the second most active region in nuclear power development, right after Asia. 

In Central and Eastern Europe, nuclear power has provided a big share of national electricity in many countries. Quite a number of countries still want to increase the share and pursue more reactors to be built. Countries such as Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania, as well as Ukraine are all in the case. There also emerges two nuclear newcomers in this region, and they are Poland and Belarus. In this conference, we also include Finland, as it has the ambition as well as the actions to build new builds; moreover, it’s near the Baltic countries.

Poland’s government strongly supports nuclear power development in this country. It plans to build 6.0 GWe nuclear capacities (two nuclear power plants) by 2035 with the value of $19.5 billion. As for the first plant, the site and reactor vendor will be selected by the end of 2016. Final design and permits are expected to be ready in 2018, allowing construction start in 2019. The first unit is now expected to be operational in 2024, the second in 2029. The second power plant is scheduled for operation in 2035.

As the other nuclear newcomer is this region, Belarus also proposed 6 GWe nuclear capacities to be built, with two units under construction, another two will be proposed later. In April 2013, Atomenergomash (AEM) has won the bid of Ostrovets 1-2, and the unit one began construction in November 2013. The Power plant will be online in 2020.

Czech Republic has two nuclear plants, six units, in operation, and it’s reported that a construction tender, after the cancel of Temelin plant, for the Dukovany NPP will be announced by 2016.

In December 2014, Hungary signed 3 implementation agreements of its Paks 5-6 project with a Russian company, and the two units will be in operation after 2025. The revised fuel supply plan has been approved by EU in April this year.

Belene 1-2 are canceled in February 2013 in Bulgaria, while the government still actively pushes forward Kozloduy 7 to be built. Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and Westinghouse Electric Company have signed a shareholder agreement in April 2015, and talks are continuing as various financing and contracting models need to be further discussed.

Finland expects nuclear power providing 40% of its national electricity by 2050. There are two nuclear plants, Loviisa and Olkiluoto, in operation in Finland, with unit 3 under construction at the Olkiluoto plant. Olkiluoto3 is terribly delayed in commissioning due to complicated reasons, which caused the cancel of the bidding for unit 4. The Finnish Mankala company Fennovoima will build a new nuclear plant, namely Hanhikivi 1, on the land, with Rostom as the technology provider. The plant is expected in operation in 2024. Candu Energy will provide two more Candu 6 reactors for Cernavoda 3-4 in Romania, and Chinese companies are actively participating in this project. Mochovce 3-4 are under construction in Slovakia, and the project is a little bit delayed in operation, which was expected by 2015. Enel's 66% stake in Slovenské Elektrárne is for sale. Another 2.4 GWe capacity is also planned, the site will be chosen and nuclear technology also will be selected from the six bidders.

The Baltic Visaginas 1 nuclear power plant is delayed as the public opposition, while the three governments and the project strategic partner Hitachi still strongly believe the project will go forwards. It is reported that Ukraine prepares to cancel Khmelnitski agreement with Russia and the unstable political environment may cast a doubt on this project.

Therefore, the congress in Warsaw, Poland, will offer you a comprehensive coverage of the nuclear new build market with fresh project updates and various case studies. Meanwhile, for those who are keen to find new investment opportunities or strengthen their presence in the global market, especially the Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Finland markets, this two days congress will provide plenty of opportunities to meet your future partners.

I am looking forward to meeting you in Warsaw!

Best regards,