Premier: JESS Ownership Arrangements Must Be Settled in September

Jaslovske Bohunice, 17 August (TASR) - The ownership arrangements in the Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS) must be settled in September, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) told a new conference on Monday.
        According to Fico, the Economy Ministry has caused delays, and responsibility for the process must therefore be gradually transferred to the Government Office. The state plans to buy the shares held by Czech energy group CEZ in order to gain full control over the project for a new nuclear power facility in Jaslovske Bohunice (Trnava region).
        JESS is a joint venture between the state-run Nuclear and Decommissioning Company (JAVYS), which holds a 51-percent stake, and Czech energy group CEZ, which owns the remaining 49 percent. "The initiative must be transferred to the Government Office, and decisions aimed at taking it over will be made step by step," said Fico, adding that a shareholders' meeting should take place at the company next Monday.
        According to Fico, the price of the shares must be determined on the basis of expert opinions by renowned companies. Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) still enjoys his confidence despite the fact that the ownership arrangements in JESS haven't been settled yet. The project of the new nuclear facility in Jaslovske Bohunice could be declared a strategic investment at one of the next government sessions, he said, adding that this would streamline the processes significantly.
        Fico said in June that the settlement with the Czech co-owner CEZ must take place within a short period of time and be based on an expert opinion from a renowned foreign auditing company. He spoke of the goal of building and commissioning a new nuclear power plant with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts at the site of the existing Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear power plant in 2040–2041. The total cost of construction is estimated at around €10 billion.