FAQ

Newvys is focused on the deployment of one to four LFR-AS-200 advanced modular reactors at the Jaslovské Bohunice nuclear site. The project combines advanced Generation IV reactor technology with the recycling of spent nuclear fuel, with the long-term objective of contributing to a closed nuclear fuel cycle in Slovakia. The project is currently in its first phase of development – the feasibility study. Newvys' ambition is to be an active participant in the new era of safe, clean and sustainable nuclear energy.

The Feasibility Study will determine the conditions under which the proposed AMR project will be technically and economically feasible and compliant with applicable regulations.

It covers seven main areas, including reactor technology and licensing, site suitability, nuclear fuel cycle, project management, contract approach, schedule and risks, and project economics. Its conclusions will provide the basis for decisions on the next phase of project development. More information about the feasibility study can be found here. 

Work on the Feasibility Study began in 2025 and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027 given by the extensive and locally specific scope of the study.

Its results will provide a more detailed understanding of the preferred project configuration, technical requirements, schedule, costs and subsequent development steps.

The Feasibility Study is only the first phase of the overall AMR project. Afterwards, the project would progress through subsequent stages including detailed project development, environmental impact assessment, licensing and permitting, engineering, construction, commissioning and ultimately operation.

Each stage will require the relevant technical assessments, regulatory approvals and investment decisions before the project can proceed.

The exact time horizon for the real construction of the power plant with AMR in Jaslovské Bohunice has not yet been specified, as the project is in the initial phase of preparing a feasibility study. After the completion of the study in 2027, a decision will be made on the overall technical and economic feasibility of the project, including the timeline for its implementation, based on expert arguments. It is preliminarily estimated that construction could begin sometime after 2030.

We are assessing this as part of the feasibility study and will publish detailed estimates when they are available. As a guide: the construction phase of a project of this scale typically employs several people on site, with a further significant number in the supply chain. Long-term operations require a permanent skilled workforce — reactor operators, engineers, health physicists, maintenance technicians, administrative staff — as well as ongoing demand for local services and contractors. We are prepared to maximise local employment and to working with regional training providers to build the skills pipeline.

The technological development of advanced modular reactors is promising for Slovakia, and nuclear energy is one of the strategic priorities of the state. Both shareholders of Newvys support the timely implementation of the project. However, a key decision on the implementation phase, including its timetable, will only be taken after the feasibility study, which will be completed in the first half of 2027, has been evaluated. It is preliminarily estimated that the plant could start operating in the second half of the thirties.

The project currently evaluates different deployment scenarios comprising one to four LFR-AS-200 units, each with an electrical output of approximately 200 MWe.

The maximum configuration currently under consideration would therefore represent an installed electrical capacity of approximately 800 MWe. The final configuration will depend on the results of the Feasibility Study and subsequent project development.

Jaslovské Bohunice has a long tradition of nuclear energy development and extensive knowledge of local site conditions accumulated over decades.

The V1 site also benefits from existing nuclear and supporting infrastructure, including access to cooling water, electrical grid infrastructure and transport connections, as well as the availability of experienced nuclear professionals in the region.

The suitability of the site for the proposed AMR project is being comprehensively assessed as part of the Feasibility Study.

A reliable investment-cost estimate cannot yet be provided because the project is still in the feasibility-study phase.

The study is assessing capital and operating costs, fuel-cycle costs, financing assumptions and other economic parameters. These results will provide the basis for evaluating the project's economic viability and potential financing models.

Determining economic viability is one of the key objectives of the Feasibility Study. The analysis considers investment and operating costs, fuel-cycle costs, electricity production, financing conditions and relevant market and economic factors.

It would therefore be premature to state a specific return on investment or electricity production cost before the study has been completed.

The LFR-AS-200 (Lead-cooled Fast Reactor) is an advanced Generation IV modular reactor. The reactor works based on fast neutrons and uses liquid lead as a coolant. This technology is particularly groundbreaking in the field of spent fuel management, as it enables efficient recycling and reuse of existing SNF from light water reactors. In addition to the environmental benefits, the project is of strategic importance for strengthening the country's energy self-sufficiency. Unlike the reactors used so far, the LFR-AS-200 operates at atmospheric pressure, which reduces the complexity of multiple structures, systems and components. Modularity is also an advantage, which allows for faster construction with less cost compared to a large nuclear unit.

SMR (Small Modular Reactor) primarily describes reactors with relatively small electrical output that are designed to benefit from modular manufacturing and construction. SMR designs are mostly based on conventional light-water reactor technology. 

AMR (Advanced Modular Reactor) is commonly used for modular reactors employing advanced technologies beyond conventional light-water reactor designs. The LFR-AS-200 belongs to this category and combines a fast-neutron spectrum with liquid lead cooling.

One of the key differences relevant to the Newvys project is the LFR-AS-200's potential to support multiple recycling of nuclear materials recovered from spent nuclear fuel.

Read more about LFR-AS-200 reactor.

The construction of the first non-nuclear experimental demonstrator of newcleo’s LFR technology, called PRECURSOR, is currently underway in Brasimone, Italy. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with commissioning to follow in 2027. This demonstrator will not contain nuclear fuel but will serve to demonstrate the viability of liquid lead as a coolant. It will incorporate key components of the actual power plant, including steam generators, primary pumps and the entire conventional island with turbine-generator.

The LFR-AS-200 is being developed according to modern nuclear safety principles and will have to demonstrate compliance with the applicable Slovak and European nuclear safety requirements before it can be licensed and operated. The same safety requirements are imposed on AMRs as on reactors that are already in operation. Thus, AMRs will be required to meet the highest safety standards set by European and Slovak authorities, just like current nuclear power plants. In addition, unlike the reactors used so far, the LFR-AS-200 operates at atmospheric pressure, which reduces the complexity of some technical parts of the equipment. Furthermore, inherent safety by design, modern passive safety systems and the latest technical and technological knowledge are used in the development of AMRs. 

The LFR-AS-200 would generate low-carbon electricity while offering the additional potential to recover and recycle nuclear materials contained in spent fuel.

A closed fuel-cycle approach could reduce demand for newly mined uranium, improve the utilisation of existing nuclear resources and optimise the amount and characteristics of radioactive materials requiring long-term disposal.

The environmental impacts of the proposed facility itself will be comprehensively assessed through the applicable Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and licensing processes.

The long-term objective is to progressively recycle and reuse all the SNF from Slovak VVER 440 Nuclear Power Plants. The Lead-cooled Fast Modular Reactor (LFR-AS-200) is an advanced Generation IV modular reactor (AMR) technology designed to support a closed nuclear fuel cycle through the repeated recycling and reuse of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from existing nuclear power plants.

Read more about recycling of spent nuclear fuel.