Kmec: Slovakia Contributing to EU's Energy Independence with Nuclear Projects

Bratislava, October 1 (TASR) - Upcoming nuclear projects in Slovakia are a clear signal that the country is actively contributing to resolving the climate crisis and increasing the energy independence of the EU, said Vice-premier for EU Funds and the Recovery Plan Peter Kmec (Voice-SD) at the 17th meeting of the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) in Prague on Tuesday. Kmec noted that a new, third reactor at Mochovce nuclear power plant was put in operation last year, while work on a fourth reactor is being finalised and preparatory work for the construction of a new nuclear power source is underway. According to Kmec, Slovakia has one of the most environmentally friendly energy mixes in the world precisely because of nuclear energy. "Thanks to nuclear and hydropower, Slovakia's share of low-carbon sources in electricity production is more than 80 percent, which puts us in the 'top seven' in the EU," said Kmec, adding that Slovakia is ready to offer other countries experience in all areas of nuclear energy. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) also addressed the meeting via video recording. "We are currently witnessing widespread climate anomalies. In this regard, the development of nuclear energy is a sensible pragmatic choice that will contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change. This is confirmed by the conclusions of many international forums," he said. Kmec noted that there's a need to work on creating a stable investment environment that will attract the necessary capital for implementing nuclear projects in Slovakia. At the same time, he said, it's important to involve the general public in the debate on nuclear energy. Established in 2007 and held under the auspices of the European Commission, the ENEF is a platform for discussing nuclear energy issues with representatives from EU countries, the European Parliament and other key players from industry, finance, government, public administration and the third sector. zel/df