Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced Slovakia's agreement with the United States to build an additional nuclear reactor in Slovakia.
Fico revealed the multi-billion dollar deal during a speech at an annual nuclear conference in the Slovak capital.
He said that the new reactor will be built at the existing nuclear plant in Jaslovske Bohunice in western Slovakia, which will have an output exceeding 1,000 megawatts and will be fully state-owned.
It is not yet clear when the two governments will sign the agreement, as Fico did not disclose further details. However, his government had approved a plan last year to build a 1,200-megawatt nuclear reactor at the site, which currently houses two nuclear reactors owned by the Slovak electric utility company (Slovenske Elektrarne).
The project is estimated to cost up to 15 billion euros.
The government initially planned to find a company to build the new reactor through a public tender, but recently announced it was negotiating a direct deal with the US company Westinghouse.
Slovakia relies heavily on nuclear energy and currently generates more than 80% of its electricity from two nuclear plants.
