29-07-2025
Slovakia taps Westinghouse for major nuclear project, skips tender rules
BRATISLVA – Slovakia has bypassed the public tender process and is moving with plans to build a nuclear plant estimated at €13-15 billion in partnership with US company Westinghouse, marking what would be the largest investment project in the country's history.
Westinghouse 'has a product - a nuclear reactor with a power output of 1,250 megawatts - that fits our plans,' Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said over the weekend.
Economy Minister Denisa Saková confirmed the government would proceed without a tender, citing faster timelines in Poland and Bulgaria compared to Czechia, where a public procurement process took nearly four years and cost 'hundreds of millions of euros.'
An intergovernmental deal with the US has already been finalised, Saková added. While it does not technically oblige Slovakia to choose Westinghouse, it anticipates a construction contract in 2027, pending feasibility studies.
The European Commission is currently reviewing the compatibility of the draft US-Slovak deal under the Euratom Treaty, with a decision expected by the end of July, a source familiar with the file told EURACTIV Slovakia. A separate assessment will follow once the actual investment project is formally agreed, alongside additional reviews on state aid, procurement rules, and environmental compliance.
The opposition has criticised the decision to proceed without expert public consultation or debate in the National Council. Financing also remains unclear, though the government has launched a tender to select a financial advisor for the project.
(de)
