The final shutdown of Bohunice V1 Nuclear Power Plant was a precondition to Slovakia’s accession into the European Union. Two soviet-era nuclear reactors, built in the 1970s were classified as unsafe 30 years later. The shutdown in turn required a substantial upgrade of the country’s electricity transmission network to secure the safe and sustainable delivery of electricity in the Slovak Republic

In order to adapt their grid to the new conditions after the shutdown, the Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS), signed a Grant Agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), acting as Administrator of the grant funds provided by the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund (BIDSF). This was to finance or co-finance the project’s preparation and implementation.

SEPS assigned intec-GOPA International Energy Consultants GmbH, Germany, as Consultant for their Project Management Unit. We were chosen to provide the necessary project management and technical consultancy services expertise for preparation/implementation of the following project components:s:

• Construction of the 400/110kV Bystričany Substation;
• Enlargement of the 400kV Horná Ždaňa Substation;
• Enlargement of the 400kV Križovany Substation;
• Construction of the 400kV double-circuit overhead line from Bystričany to Križovany (77,6km, 240 towers).

These projects’ components reinforced the Bystričany 220kV substation to deal with transmission of system load changes created by the permanent shutdown of Bohunice V1 NPP.

The project was completed on time, within budget, in complete alignment with the best engineering practices, plus in full compliance with stringent environmental and safety standards.

It is also noteworthy that the construction of a 400kV double-circuit overhead line, from Bystričany to Križovany, was completed almost five (5) months earlier than the original contractual completion date. This type of occurrence is rare in the recent history of overhead line construction business and is a credit to all parties involved in the efficient turnaround of works.