New build in the Czech Republic will lead the utility ?EZ to almost double its nuclear workforce. The company said its nuclear teams will grow by 2600 over the next ten years.

A worker at Temelin (Image: CEZ)

Last year the company hired 1212 workers, it said, with one in six working in a nuclear team. That means they support either the ongoing generation of electricity at the Temelin and Dukovany nuclear power plants or have joined the teams developing plans for a new large reactor at Dukovany or small reactors at Temelin.

CEZ is currently evaluating bids from Westinghouse, EDF and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power for the construction of a new reactor at Dukovany. Near Temelin, an area has been designated the South Bohemia Nuclear Park and earmarked for small reactors to operate in the early 2030s.

CEZ noted that 11% of new workers for its existing plants were women, with the number hitting 30% for the new-build projects. Some 40% of new hires had been students at Czech universities and around 38% were under the age of 30.

"Cooperation with universities" is the basis for CEZ's recruitment plans, said nuclear department head Brohdan Zronek. "In the long term, starting much earlier, already in secondary and elementary schools, has proven to be effective for us. In this way, we gradually want to build a relationship with technology in students, which they can then take advantage of by studying at a technical university."