Slovenia’s Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Jernej Vrtovec, has raised questions over whether a referendum will be required for the planned NPP Krško expansion. He also called for broader participation from investors beyond the state.
Vrtovec said a project of this scale should not rely exclusively on state ownership. He argued that involving private and international investors could help distribute financial risk and improve oversight of the project. The minister estimated the total value of the expansion at more than €15 billion.
Investor participation and potential referendum timeline
The minister suggested neighboring countries, investment funds, and Slovenian companies could take part in the financing. He added that several domestic businesses have already expressed interest in participation. Current plans foresee a referendum in 2028.
Vrtovec emphasized that a referendum is not explicitly included in the governing coalition agreement. He stressed the importance of continued dialogue with local communities and key stakeholders. He also said broader investor involvement would not reduce Slovenia’s strategic control over the project.
According to him, the state could still retain a controlling ownership stake while allowing additional capital participation. This approach was presented as a way to combine oversight with wider funding involvement.
Nuclear energy support, supplier selection, and permitting work
Vrtovec reaffirmed strong support for nuclear energy, describing NPP Krško 2 as Slovenia’s most important option for securing new large-scale baseload electricity generation capacity. He noted that Westinghouse currently holds an advantage due to its existing technology presence at the current Krško nuclear plant.
The minister said the final supplier selection process remains open and competitive. He identified permitting and spatial planning procedures as the most complex part of project development. Preparatory work is underway involving transmission system operator ELES and state-owned GEN Energija.
A potential final investment decision is expected within the next 18 months. The timeline was linked to ongoing preparatory activities by ELES and GEN Energija.
