On Monday, 23 June 2025, an expert conference was held in Jaslovske Bohunice, launching the strategic cooperation between company JAVYS, newcleo and VUJE in the development and deployment of the advanced modular liquid lead-cooled Generation IV reactors in Slovakia. The project also includes the development of an innovative type of fuel that will enable the reuse of spent nuclear fuel from existing power plants.
The significance of the conference was highlighted by the presence of the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Denisa Sakova, as well as many other representatives of the government, regulatory authorities, academic community and the diplomatic corps.
Prior to the conference, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy visited the JAVYS site in Jaslovské Bohunice and its crucial facilities, including the Interim Spent Fuel Storage facility and Bohunice Radioactive Waste Treatment Centre (BSC RAO). This visit underlined the Prime Minister's personal interest in nuclear power industry and also clearly confirmed that the development of nuclear energy sector is one of the strategic priorities of the current Government.
The main outcome of the conference was the signing of two key documents:
- Founders´ Agreement between companies JAVYS and newcleo, which will establish the joint venture Centre for the Development of Spent Nuclear Fuel Utilisation, a.s. (CVP).
- Memorandum of Understanding between companies VUJE and newcleo regarding cooperation in the design and development of scalable data centres in connection with Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) projects.
The CVP joint venture will develop the LFR-AS-200 (Lead-cooled Fast Reactor) advanced reactor, which can reuse the spent nuclear fuel efficiently and effectively. “Our goal is to create a solution that will not only strengthen Slovakia´s energy position, but will also be a role model for the entire European region in the field of safe and efficient use of spent nuclear fuel,” said Peter Gerhart, Chairman of the Board of Directors of JAVYS.
Representatives of newcleo emphasized the European importance of the partnership. “Our cooperation with Slovakia not only demonstrates the strength of European cooperation in the nuclear power sector, but also showcases our model of fuel cycle closing. The joint venture in Slovakia will serve as an example and a pioneer for other countries seeking a sustainable solution for spent fuel management while significantly increasing energy independence," said Stefano Buono, the CEO of newcleo.
Dozens of representatives from state administration bodies, nuclear and diplomacy sector as well as academic community attended the conference, demonstrating the high priority given to this topic by the government.
The development of AMR technology is extremely promising for Slovakia - the country has a sufficient quantity of spent nuclear fuel that can be reused as a source of energy after treatment. This approach will contribute to waste volume reduction, energy security and independence.
At the same time, the development and subsequent construction of AMR reactors represents a major opportunity for the Slovak industry and academic community - it will be necessary to involve the experts from technical universities, research institutions and domestic companies. Slovakia is thus entering a new era - an era of safe, clean and sustainable nuclear energy.
