Conflicting comments from leaders in the Czech Republic suggest that the political consequences from Russia's occupation of the Crimean Peninsula could reach into the market for new reactors.
Amid European and American leaders' calls for sanctions against Russia, the Prague Post reported Monday that the Czech defense minister said he could not imagine a Russian-led consortium building new reactors at the Temelin nuclear plant. Later that day, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka tried to dial back that rhetoric. Global Post quoted him as saying the crisis in Ukraine was not likely to result in the cancellation of all trade with Russia, including trade within the nuclear sector.
Westinghouse and MIR.1200, a consortium majority owned by Russia's Atomstroyexport, are finalists to add two additional units at the plant near the Austrian border. Czech utility CEZ plans to select a company to build the units late this year or in 2015.