The majority of Slovenian parliamentary parties on Tuesday placed a proposal before parliament for a referendum on nuclear expansion to be held in the second half of November.

The proposal was submitted by the Freedom Movement and Social Democrat coalition and the opposition Democrats and New Slovenia, which together hold 82 out of 90 seats in the Slovenian parliament.

“This is a project concerning the entire country and several generations, so there is no room for left and right here,” said Natasa Avsic Bogovic, an MP representing prime minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement.

The referendum question will ask whether there is support for the project to add up to 2.4 GW of nuclear capacity at the site of the existing 696 MW Krsko nuclear plant. 

According to the parliamentary parties, Slovenia can ensure its energy independence and reach climate neutrality only by using both nuclear energy and renewable sources.

Business support

Slovenia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) late on Tuesday welcomed the unity of the majority of parliamentary parties on the nuclear referendum.

GZS noted that the construction of new nuclear capacity is a condition for maintaining energy independence and the Slovenian economy’s competitiveness, especially since the country aims to phase out coal by 2033.

It is not yet clear, however, when the new nuclear capacity could be developed. Although the aim is to finish the project by 2035, the current speed of Slovenia’s siting process makes 2040 a more realistic deadline.