The reactor is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of the year.
Slovakia has entered the final stage of expanding the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant after operators began loading nuclear fuel into the facility’s fourth reactor, a milestone that will further increase the country’s reliance on nuclear energy.
The state-owned nuclear regulator, the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, approved the reactor’s commissioning last week, clearing the way for Slovenské elektrárne to start fuel loading on Monday, 29 June. The move marks the beginning of a testing programme that will continue for several months before the reactor enters permanent commercial operation, according to Index.
The utility expects the new unit to reach full capacity by the end of the year, following a gradual increase in output and a series of mandatory safety and performance tests.
Once the reactor is fully operational, nuclear power will account for about 77 percent of Slovakia’s electricity production.
