The Czech Republic will deliver on its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as called in the Fit for 55 package, but the condition is to ensure sufficient and affordable energy for businesses and citizens. An update to the Czech Republic's National Energy and Climate Plan, which responds to the advancing climate crisis and developments in the energy sector following Russia's incursion into Ukraine, was approved by Petr Fiala’s government at a meeting on Wednesday, 18 October 2023.

This updated energy climate plan defines the steps that need to be taken within the Czech energy sector to meet the European Union's climate and energy targets. The strategy reflects the current experience of the security and price crisis and foresees, for example, a 55 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990) or an increase in the share of renewables in electricity generation from the current 13 % to 37 % in 2030. A fundamental condition for implementing the plan is that the Czech Republic should have sufficient energy from its sources and, where appropriate, from imports to meet the needs of the economy and Czech households.

According to the minister Jozef Síkela, electricity will gradually replace other fuels, especially coal and oil. This will require a significant increase in electricity production from renewable sources, primarily through solar and wind energy development. The plan, therefore, envisages the construction of 10.1 gigawatts (GW) of new grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) installed capacity and 1.5 GW of new wind capacity by 2030. Hundreds of new wind power plants are expected to be built.

The state also wants to gradually strengthen nuclear power. By 2030, its share in electricity production should be around 40 %, according to minister Síkela. In the following decade, the plan envisages the construction of new nuclear units, which should gradually increase the share of nuclear power to 60 %. In addition to the Dukovany unit currently under preparation, another could be built at Dukovany due to the hot pipeline to Brno, and two more at Temelín. However, nuclear energy should be the main focus of the forthcoming update of the state energy concept. According to minister Síkela, electricity production from natural gas should also increase temporarily in the coming years to supplement the less predictable production from renewable sources. The minister Síkela also believes that the Czech Republic should import more electricity from abroad.

Prepared by foreign office CzechTrade Belgium

Source: MPO.cz, E15.cz, CEBRE