Slovenia eyes second nuclear reactor by 2025

Slovenia plans to build a second reactor at its nuclear power plant in Krsko between 2020 and 2025, Economy Minister Matej Lahovnik said here Friday.

- The second reactor at Krsko will be built between 2020 and 2025 - Lahovnik told a news conference.

- I'm in favour of a second reactor since the nuclear option is very attractive and necessary for Slovenia - he said.

The Slovenian parliament will debate the matter next year when it considers the country's energy programme, the minister said.

Slovenia and neighbouring Croatia jointly opened the Krsko plant, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of capital Ljubljana, in 1984 when both were still part of former Yugoslavia.

The plant is still co-owned by Slovenia and Croatia and currently generates about 40 percent of all electricity produced in Slovenia.

The previous centre-right government had wanted a second nuclear reactor at Krsko to become operational by 2017. But those plans have been set back as a result of the economic crisis and the problem of what to do with the radioactive waste.

Lahovnik said he expected a solution for the waste problem to be found by the end of the year.

According to media reports here, the new reactor will cost 3.5-5.0 billion euros to build.