Rolls-Royce SMR at Temelín: Czechia’s First Small Reactor Enters Environmental Review
Czechia’s first small modular reactor has reached a formal permitting milestone: ČEZ has handed its environmental impact assessment for a Rolls-Royce SMR at Temelín to the Ministry of the Environment.
Rolls-Royce SMR at Temelín: what was filed
ČEZ, Czechia’s largest energy company, submitted the documentation in October 2026. As World Nuclear News reports, the ministry will review it and take public comments, with the process expected to finish by the end of 2027.
According to Czech business daily Ekonomický deník, the plan is for one 470MW unit on land south of the existing cooling towers. The documentation reportedly covers:
- Temporary land use of up to 74 hectares, and permanent use of 30 hectares.
- Cooling water use of up to 12 million cubic metres a year, against 30 to 40 million for the two existing 1,000MW units.
- A public comment window of 30 days, followed by an independent review and a public hearing.
Water was a focus. ČEZ says its results so far show availability is not an obstacle, even allowing for worsening drought.
ŠKODA JS and the supply chain
ČEZ owns 20% of Rolls-Royce SMR, and its subsidiary ŠKODA JS has become a key supplier. It was chosen as sole supplier of control rod drive mechanisms, the motorised units that move control rods to regulate reactor power and allow rapid shutdown. Each is almost eight metres long and weighs about 450kg. ŠKODA JS must first build a prototype before series production.
Earlier, ŠKODA JS and Doosan Enerbility were selected for pre-production work on key components, including the reactor pressure vessel. That is preparation, not a finished order.
A fair reality check
- Filing an assessment is a step in the process, not an approval.
- Further permits, including a siting permit from the Czech nuclear regulator, are still needed.
- ČEZ expects the reactor to start operating in the mid-2030s, so this remains a long-lead project.
GO-IBR Research Team take
Czechia shows the other half of the Rolls-Royce SMR story: a customer, a shareholder and a component supplier all in one group. If Temelín and Wylfa both proceed, they would share designs and suppliers, which is the factory-style repeatability SMRs promise. Watch the public hearing and any water-related conditions, because they will show how much those assumptions hold up locally.
Last updated 22 October 2026. Sources: World Nuclear News; oEnergetice.cz; Ekonomický deník; Nuclear Engineering International.
By the GO-IBR Research Team. © go-ibr.com
