"I have said on several ocassions that I support the second reactor because nuclear energy is very attractive and necessary for Slovenia," Lahovnik pointed out at a press conference marking his one year in office when asked about NEK.
He expects the procedures with the agriculture and environment ministries that are still open will speed up and finish soon, so that permits can then be acquired.
As the project is estimated at between EUR 3.5bn and 5bn, the second reactor is a nation-wide project, he noted, adding that the project was also part of the national energy programme, which is planed to be passed by the government in March and go through parliament by the middle of 2010.
Commenting on the possibility of a referendum on the issue, Lahovnik said he would like to have exact answers to a possible negative campaign to retain credibility, including issues like waste management and the environmental impact of the plant.
Gen Energija, the company managing the Slovenian part of NEK, has carried out most of the analyses needed for the project and expects it could prepare the call for tenders in 2011-2013, while construction could start in 2015 and the reactor could be launched in 2020.
The second reactor is planed to run at 1,000 or 1,600 MW with a 20-day overhaul every two years at a life of 60 years, which can be prolonged for 20 years. One of the advantages of the reactor will be its ability to recycle and reuse its empty fuel cells.
The list of possible suppliers includes Westinghouse Electric Company, the US energy company which constructed the first reactor at NEK, French conglomerate Areva and Mitsubishi's nuclear energy branch.
The first reactor at NEK is jointly owned with Croatia and was launched in January 1983. With an 18-month overhaul cycle, it is due for shutdown in 2023, but experts believe it could easily be extended by another 20 years.
