PRAGUE, Czech Republic, May 8 (UPI) -- The Czech Republic may end its contract for nuclear fuel with Westinghouse early, instead starting a 2010 contract with TVEL ahead of schedule.
The move comes after problems with the U.S. company's supply caused longer and more frequent refueling shutdowns, Czech Business Weekly reports. TVEL, the Russian state-owned company, last year won a tender for the new 10-year supply contract.
"We've already had preliminary talks with TVEL," said Jiri Borovec, vice chairman and executive director for power generation for CEZ, the state-owned operator of the Temelin nuclear plant in the Czech Republic's South Bohemia region.
Temelin is a dual reactor plant with 2,000 megawatt capacity. CEZ officials wouldn't discuss the monetary aspect of the TVEL contract.
The Weekly estimates CEZ lost more than $36 million because of the shutdowns this year.
The Prague Daily Monitor notes a government report found 166 operational "defects" in the past five years of operation, some of which were attributed to the fuel assemblies, though none threatened the environment or public safety.
Borovec said it is unclear what it would cost to exit the Westinghouse contract early.
