Enel boosts Slovak Mochovce nuclear plant capacity

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

BRATISLAVA, June 16 (Reuters) - Italy's utility Enel said on Monday it has boosted the installed capacity at Slovakia's nuclear power plant Mochovce by seven percent to ease the country's electricity import needs. Enel, majority owner of leading domestic power firm Slovenske Elektrarne which operates Mochovce, said the capacity boost was to offset the decommissioning of two units at the country's oldest nuclear power plant at Jaslovske Bohunice.

"Slovenske Elektrarne decided to increase power output at its existing nuclear power plants after positive experience with similar up-rates at other pressurized water reactors in the Hungarian (plants) Paks, Czech Dukovany or Finnish Loviisa," the company said in a statement.

Nominal capacity was boosted to 470 MW from 440 MW per unit.

Slovenske Elektrarne generated 23.3 terrawatts of electricity last year, down from 31.2 terrawatts in 2006.

Slovakia, which has installed capacity of 6,000 MW, has shut down one unit and must close another at the Jaslovske Bohunice plant by the end of this year as agreed in the country's accession treaty with the European Union.

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