Czech municipal heating company Teplárny Brno and power utility CEZ have signed strategic agreements on the construction of a hot water pipeline from the Dukovany NPP to Brno. The project will ensure a reliable supply of heat to Brno and significantly reduce the city's dependence on gas.
Teplárny Brno CEO Petr Fajmon. Explained that hot water supply is a well established part of the heat energy supply system used in Czech territory for decades. “This is a very efficient and stable heat supply. In addition, hot water ensures safety, savings and reliability. By using heat from the power plant, we will also strategically reduce our consumption of gas and other fuels.” The new hot water pipeline will provide half of the heat consumption in Brno, which is currently 80% dependent on natural gas.
The length of the pipeline will be approximately 42 kilometres and its route will avoid built-up areas of the municipalities. The route will also include one tunnel with a length of 1,100 metres below the Bucín hill near Tetcice, which is part of the Bobrava Nature Park. Construction is to begin in 2027 and is expected to take four years. Preparatory activities in the city of Brno will begin in 2025.
Teplárny Brno signed a co-operation agreement CEZ in May 2023 – the basis of these strategic agreements as well as a future and implementation agreement. These will pave the way for further necessary steps such as the launch of a public procurement procedure for the development of project documentation.
“The construction of a hot water supply is an important step towards the energy self-sufficiency and independence of Brno,” said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. “We have long said that the basic energy source of the Czech Republic should be nuclear energy in the future and this project fully meets the requirements and criteria. We will use the heat from the NPP, end dependence on other fuels and ensure a safe supply of heat to households and institutions.”
Brno Mayor Markéta Vanková said the importance of the hot water supply extends beyond the borders of Brno and the Czech Republic. “Through its implementation, we fulfil what we have been constantly working on for several years. We want to be, and must be, energy self-sufficient and independent. In addition, it is an ecological, emission-free heat source. The hot water supply is also designed to ensure a completely safe and stable heat supply for Brno, while satisfying all economic and business requirements.”
CEZ CEO Daniel Beneš “It is up to us to transfer heat from the power plant unit to the boundary of the complex. Even so, it will be a significant investment. I am glad that this project is being moved forward in cooperation with the Czech government.” He added that it is “an example of good practice in the use of nuclear resources for heat production can be southern Bohemia and our Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, which supplies heat to Ceské Budejovice with the help of a new hot water supply.”
The costs of the project are estimated at approximately CZK19bn (811m), even allowing for inflation. Financing will be multi-source, in addition to possible subsidies for construction from European and national funds, funding through commercial institutions is also being considered.
Teplárny Brno Board Chairman Jirí Herman said the project will provide more stability for heating prices in Brno. "This will fundamentally reduce the sensitivity of the price of heat to fluctuations in energy prices,” he said. “Even if we consider the price of heat after 2030, the calculations show us that compared with the current price level, we can expect a positive impact – a reduction."
Image: Dukovany nuclear power plant
