Doosan Škoda Power has won the public tender for new generators for the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant. These units, which convert steam energy from the turbine into electricity, rank among the largest in Europe. Their replacement will allow Temelín to continue increasing output while also strengthening regulation capabilities. ČEZ launched the procurement process for the largest-ever investment in the history of operating Czech nuclear plants in 2023.
The generators are among the largest and most important components of Temelín. Directly connected to one high-pressure and three low-pressure turbine sections, they currently supply the grid with a nominal 1,086 MW of electricity. With their operational lifetime approaching its end, ČEZ has decided to replace them on schedule. At the same time, this project represents an opportunity to further boost the output of the country’s largest power source.
“Since the commissioning of our nuclear units, we have managed to increase their output by a total of 500 MWe. That’s a massive amount of electricity, comparable to a large coal-fired power plant—but without added emissions, land use, or other negative impacts. By replacing the generators at Temelín, we are continuing in this process,” explains Daniel Beneš, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the ČEZ Group.
ČEZ launched the open tender for the generator replacement in May 2023. Doosan Škoda Power submitted the most competitive bid, which also includes a 15-year service agreement for the newly delivered equipment.
“We are building on our long-standing cooperation in turbine delivery and service support for Temelín. But it’s important to note that we succeeded against other global manufacturers, which confirms both our position as one of the world’s leaders in delivering power plant equipment and the strong standing of our Czech company,” says Seungwoo Sohn, CEO of Power Service Business Group of Doosan Enerbility.
Under the contract, the generators will be replaced during planned outages of Temelín’s individual units in 2029 and 2030. While the contract value has not been disclosed, it amounts to several billion CZK.
“This is one of the key projects for modernizing and ensuring the long-term operation of our nuclear power plants. At the same time, our objective is to make sure the replacement itself does not significantly affect Temelín’s planned outage schedule,” adds Bohdan Zronek, Member of the Board of Directors and Head of the Nuclear Energy Division of the ČEZ Group.
The existing turbine-generator sets at Temelín were supplied by Škoda Plzeň, whose successor is Doosan Škoda Power. The company is thus symbolically continuing its own tradition and more than three decades of experience in operating the largest Czech nuclear power plant.
The turbine-generator sets themselves are unique on a European scale. Weighing over 2,000 tons, with a total length of 65 meters (including the generator), their blade tip speed exceeds twice the speed of sound. Although the largest sets today are used in EPR-type projects, Temelín’s turbines still rank among the biggest and most powerful of their kind in Europe.
CEZ Group is the largest energy company in the Czech Republic and one of the top ten utilities in Europe. The CEZ Group focuses on electricity and heat generation, distribution, and trading, with a strong emphasis on low-emission and emission-free energy sources.
Doosan Škoda Power is a leading global manufacturer of steam turbines, headquartered in Plzeň, building on more than a century of tradition in energy technology. The company supplies complete turbine-generator systems and service solutions to customers worldwide. Its majority owner, South Korean Doosan Enerbility, is one of the global leaders in power engineering.