Krško Nuclear Power Plant Begins Routine Overhaul, 56 Fuel Elements to be Replaced

Scheduled Shutdown for Essential Maintenance

The Krško Nuclear Power Plant, Slovenia's sole nuclear facility, initiated its routine overhaul on Sunday, September 28, 2025. This scheduled shutdown, a regular occurrence every 18 months, is critical for ensuring the plant's safe, stable, and reliable operation. The maintenance period is anticipated to conclude by the end of October 2025, with resynchronization to the grid planned for that time.

The comprehensive overhaul involves a series of vital tasks, including the replacement of 56 fuel elements within the reactor core. Additionally, extensive preventive maintenance will be carried out on technological equipment, alongside thorough inspections of technological structures and verification of pressure barriers. The cost of these works is estimated to be between 80 and 100 million euros.

Operational Excellence and Joint Ownership

Prior to this scheduled outage, the Krško Nuclear Power Plant completed its 34th fuel cycle with notable success. The plant operated for over 511 calendar days at full power, delivering more than 8.51 billion kilowatt-hours of low-carbon electricity to the power grid. This performance surpassed planned production targets, underscoring the plant's technical excellence and its crucial role in regional energy independence.

The Krško Nuclear Power Plant is jointly owned and operated by Nuklearna Elektrarna Krško (NEK). It is a partnership between Slovenia's GEN Energija and Croatia's Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP Group), with each entity holding a 50% share. The plant, which began commercial operation in 1983, is a 696 MWe Westinghouse pressurized water reactor.

Ensuring Regional Energy Security

The Krško NPP plays a significant role in the energy security of both Slovenia and Croatia. It supplies approximately 20% of Slovenia's electricity demand and covers about 16% of Croatia's power needs. The plant's operational lifetime was extended to 2043 in January 2023, following an environmental impact assessment that confirmed its safety and compliance with long-term operation criteria.

The current overhaul will be managed by the plant's dedicated employees, supported by a substantial workforce of over 1,000 specialists. These contractors are drawn from specialized nuclear industry firms across Slovenia, Croatia, and other international locations. All activities during the outage will be under the strict supervision of the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration, with additional monitoring provided by authorized organizations to ensure adherence to the highest safety standards.