Introduction

Slovenia has rather limited energy resources of its own, and imports all its oil and gas -essentially from Algeria and Russia. However, the country has diversified primary sources of electricity production. One quarter is produced by hydropower, with the Drava River being the major source of hydroelectric power, and 35% by fossil fuels.

Nuclear accounts for 40% of the total electricity production. Slovenia has been part of the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) since 1975 and has strong connections with its neighbours, Austria, Italy and Croatia. Slovenia is a relatively small consumer of electricity compared to other UCTE countries, but because of its position and the strong connections it has with its neighbours it plays an important role in the European electricity market. Slovenia has one nuclear power plant (NPP), in Krsko. The government's Strategy for the Use and Supply of Energy that was set up in 1996 aimed at phasing out nuclear power and increasing the use of renewables. And yet, the safety level of the Krsko NPP, which was built by Westinghouse with a US license, has been assessed and is considered on a par with Western European standards. Nuclear phase-out is no longer on the government's agenda. Efforts are also being made to increase energy efficiency.

The Krsko NPP was built in 1983, together with Croatia, at a time when both countries were part of the former Yugoslavia. The agreement that was signed on 19 December 2001 and ratified on 25 February 2003 specified that Slovenia and Croatia are equal co-owners of Krsko and that they have shared the costs of operating and production since July 2002. Slovenia ratified the Kyoto protocol in August 2002. Nuclear power helps the country meet its Kyoto targets. Its contribution is all the more significant in view of the fact that economic growth of 4% per year has boosted energy consumption.

In 2006, a package of Slovenian National Development Projects was adopted by the government. It includes also a project of “Building a second NPP at Krško site” as an option. Krsko Nuclear Power Plant, Slovenia’s only nuclear site has to be shut down by 2023, but the government is considering extending its lifetime. On 20 November 2009, the Economy Minister, Matej Lahovnik, announced that the planned second reactor at the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NEK) would be completed between 2020 and 2025. On 14 January 2010, the Slovenian utility, GEN-energija, sent an application to the Economy Ministry for a permit to build a second unit at the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Slovenia’s sole nuclear site. The utility plans to build a generation III PWR reactor with a capacity from 1100MW to 1600MW.

Country Profile

Executive Summary

Slovenia has rather limited energy resources of its own, and imports all its oil and gas -essentially from Algeria and Russia. However, the country has diversified primary sources of electricity production. One quarter is produced by hydropower, with the Drava River being the major source of hydroelectric power, and 35% by fossil fuels.

Nuclear accounts for 40% of the total electricity production. Slovenia has been part of the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) since 1975 and has strong connections with its neighbours, Austria, Italy and Croatia. Slovenia is a relatively small consumer of electricity compared to other UCTE countries, but because of its position and the strong connections it has with its neighbours it plays an important role in the European electricity market. Slovenia has one nuclear power plant (NPP), in Krsko. The government's Strategy for the Use and Supply of Energy that was set up in 1996 aimed at phasing out nuclear power and increasing the use of renewables. And yet, the safety level of the Krsko NPP, which was built by Westinghouse with a US license, has been assessed and is considered on a par with Western European standards. Nuclear phase-out is no longer on the government's agenda. Efforts are also being made to increase energy efficiency.

The Krsko NPP was built in 1983, together with Croatia, at a time when both countries were part of the former Yugoslavia. The agreement that was signed on 19 December 2001 and ratified on 25 February 2003 specified that Slovenia and Croatia are equal co-owners of Krsko and that they have shared the costs of operating and production since July 2002. Slovenia ratified the Kyoto protocol in August 2002. Nuclear power helps the country meet its Kyoto targets. Its contribution is all the more significant in view of the fact that economic growth of 4% per year has boosted energy consumption.

In 2006, a package of Slovenian National Development Projects was adopted by the government. It includes also a project of “Building a second NPP at Krško site” as an option. Krsko Nuclear Power Plant, Slovenia’s only nuclear site has to be shut down by 2023, but the government is considering extending its lifetime. On 20 November 2009, the Economy Minister, Matej Lahovnik, announced that the planned second reactor at the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NEK) would be completed between 2020 and 2025. On 14 January 2010, the Slovenian utility, GEN-energija, sent an application to the Economy Ministry for a permit to build a second unit at the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Slovenia’s sole nuclear site. The utility plans to build a generation III PWR reactor with a capacity from 1100MW to 1600MW.

Security of supply

Slovenia has rather limited energy resources. It has proven reserves of low quality coal and lignite amounting to 190 million tons. Oil reserves are limited too, 550 000 tons of which 2,500 tons are used annually. Slovenia’s estimated hydro reserves are up to 9 TWh a year, but only 3.5 TWh are exploited depending on the precipitation. Slovenia imports all its oil and all its gas from Algeria and Russia, since the country is connected to two gas pipelines from both countries. The country’s energy dependency (calculated by taking the net energy imports and dividing them by the gross consumption) amounted to 52% in 2004. The total electricity production in 2006 was 13.1 GWh, of which 5,3 GWh were produced at the Krsko NPP, 2,991 from hydro plants and 4,718 GWh from thermal power plants. As this data indicates, Slovenia has a diversified primary source for electricity production.

One quarter is produced by hydropower, generated primarily from the Drava River, and 35% from fossil fuels. Nuclear production accounts for 40% of total electricity production.

Slovenia has been a member of UCTE since 1975 and has strong connections with its neighbours. There are two 400 kV lines and one 220 kV line connected to Austria, one 400 kV and one 220 kV line connected to Italy and three 400 kV and two 220 kV and three 110kV lines connected to Croatia. The planned link to Hungary, if it goes ahead, will not only tap other export sources but also provide additional infrastructural support for the eastward expansion of the EU’s internal electricity market. Slovenia is a small consumer of electricity compared to other UCTE countries, but because of its position and the strong connections it has with its neighbours, it plays important an important role in the European electricity market.

Energy Policy

In 1996, the government launched its Strategy for the Use and Supply of Energy. Its objectives were to continue renovating the country’s thermal power stations, to construct new power plants, to increase the use of gas, to phase-out nuclear power and to increase the use of renewable energies. The Strategy gives high priority to energy efficiency and environmental protection. It sets a target for improving overall energy efficiency by 2% per year for the next 10 to 15 years. The overall goal of the energy strategy is to increase the energy share from renewables to 6% (12% including hydropower). However, the nuclear phase-out policy has been abandoned. Indeed, it appears very difficult for Slovenia to ensure security of supply and to meet its Kyoto targets without nuclear power. Nuclear energy accounts for 41% of total electricity production and energy consumption is rising. In 2004, a resolution was adopted by the government in its National Energy Program that states that the nuclear option must be kept open. The government that was elected in 2004 is in favour of nuclear energy and no party in the Parliament is against it. In 2006, a package of Slovenian National Development Projects was adopted by the government. It includes also a project of “Building a second NPP at Krško site” as an option. Efforts continue to be made to increase energy efficiency.

The electricity market is also being liberalised. In September 1999, a new energy law was passed that has resulted in the liberalisation of Slovenia’s energy market. Slovenia joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and must, therefore, comply with EU Directives on gas and electricity market liberalisation. The gas and electricity market in Slovenia is completely open since 1 July 2007 for all customers. The Krsko NPP was built in 1983 in partnership with Croatia when both countries were part of the former Yugoslavia. Since the independence of both countries there has been a debate on the status of the Krsko NPP. An agreement was signed in December 2001 that specified that Slovenia and Croatia are co-owners of Krsko and that both must share the operational and production costs from July 2002 onwards. The agreement also stipulates that the two countries must share the electricity production. Krsko NPP is due to be shut down by 2023, but the government is considering extending its lifetime. On 14 January 2010, the Slovenian utility, GEN-energija, sent an application to the Economy Ministry for a permit to build a second unit at the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Slovenia’s sole nuclear site. The utility plans to build a generation III PWR reactor with a capacity from 1100MW to 1600MW. Technical studies have shown that the construction of the new unit is justified by economic, security of supply and environmental considerations. The new unit, which is planned to be completed between 2020 and 2025, will replace the current one that generates around 40% of the country’s total electricity production. The nuclear option is part of the new National Energy Programme that will be debated in the National Assembly this spring. The Parliament’s decision on the new unit expected later this year should not pose any problem, since nuclear has been uncontroversial in the country for quite some time and no parliamentary party opposes it. The new unit at Krsko will belong entirely to the Slovenian state.

Safety and Waste Management

The level of nuclear safety at Krsko has been assessed and is considered comparable to Western European standards. The Krsko NPP was built by Westinghouse under a US license and is operated by NEK (Nuklearna Elektrarna Krsko). The plant has an ongoing programme for improving and upgrading the NPP. Slovenia ratified the Convention on Nuclear Safety and successfully presented its national reports during the meetings of the signatories. The law on Protection against Ionising Radiation and Nuclear Safety was also adopted in July 2002 in order to comply with EU legislation. The Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration was established in 1987. It is Slovenia’s national regulatory body and is responsible for ensuring that the NPP complies with safety requirements.

On February 2006, the Slovenian government accepted a national programme for radioactive waste and fuel management, which defines the procedure for selecting the location of a repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) by 2008 and getting its operating licence by 2013. The Slovenian State Agency for Radioactive Waste (ARAO) is responsible for the management of radioactive waste. So far, operational waste has been stored in LILW storage at the Krsko site, but the site is almost filled to capacity. A decision concerning long-term spent fuel management has not been taken yet, since the life of the Krsko NPP life expires in 2023. The repository facility is required by 2050. The strategy for long-term spent fuel management indicates that a decision might be reached by 2020.

On 30 December 2009 the Government of Slovenia passed a decree confirming the site for the permanent storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste. The site, Vrbina, is close to the existing nuclear power plant at Krsko and its construction is scheduled to start in two to three years. The decision was urging as the capacity of the NPP Krsko onsite storage was going to become a critical factor for the normal operation of the plant. The repository’s storage capacity will be enough to store half of the waste produced by Krsko during all its operational duration and its decommissioning.

Climate Change

The Slovenian government adopted an “Action Plan for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions” on 31 July 2003. It sets targets in order to meet its Kyoto commitments and to comply with the EU legislation. Slovenia ratified the Kyoto protocol in August 2002. The Action Plan defines a strategy for reducing Slovenia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 8% in the period 2008 to 2012 from the 1986 base level. In 1986, gas emissions amounted to around 20 million tons of CO2 equivalent. An 8% cut implies average emissions of no more than 18.4 million tons of CO2 equivalent per year between 2008 and 2012. However, due to an annual economic growth around 4% a year, energy consumption has been rising, which resulted in an increase in emissions. The government has already set up instruments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include taxes on CO2 emissions and waste disposal, financial incentives, information and awareness-raising campaigns for energy consumers, regulations and environmental standards.