CESTA Synergoatom Conference in Prague

Central European nuclear cooperation in the development of technological innovation and energy security.

On May 29, an international convention of experts in the field of energy and cyber security was held in Prague. The conference was devoted to the launch of the Center of Energy Stability (CESTA) by SYNERGOATOM. The center was created by the initiative of the European Association for Energy Security (EAES). EAES unites international scientific, technological, industrial and socio-political efforts to ensure the safe and sustainable operation of the European energy system in peacetime and in conditions of critical destabilization.

The conference was held at the Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics of the Czech Technical University. The founders of the Cooperation Agreement were organizations and institutions from Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Poland. They thus created the basis of a scientific, technical and industrial community to support energy and technological security. International cooperation of leading experts and scientists will stimulate both development and production in this key area of the economy.

Vasyl Hrabar, a member of the supervisory board of the organizing team, summed up the reason for the meeting: “We invited representatives of knowledgeable scientific institutions and manufacturing companies that already cooperate with us to jointly set the next steps for cooperation in the development of technologies ensuring the availability and safety of energy sources. The participation of experts from Poland, Ukraine and the Czech Republic is an expression of understanding of the need for mutual exchange of strategic information, as well as assessment and analysis of individual approaches to cooperation in the energy industry. We believe that professional discussions between such important personalities will lead to the implementation of concrete actions by the responsible European officials.”

The representative of the government of the Czech Republic for the reconstruction of Ukraine, Tomáš Kopečný, took part in the conference, who, among other things, said: “The Czech Republic is one of the biggest supporters of nuclear energy in the European Union. We also support Ukraine on its path to the safe use of nuclear energy. The safety of nuclear power plants is one of the priorities through which we want to participate in helping to rebuild Ukraine. That is why it is very important that we come together here and can work to solve the practical problems that we face.”

Support for the Center’s activities was also expressed by other conference participants.

Denis Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Science and Education of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of such international cooperation in the field of science and technology, expressed support for CESTA SYNERGOATOM and readiness for constructive cooperation on the part of Ukrainian Science and Education.

In part of his speech, the representative of the Ukrainian national enterprise NAEK Energoatom emphasized that Energoatom welcomes such an initiative, follows the development of CESTA SYNERGOATOM with great interest and expects constructive proposals for establishing partnerships within the planned programs of the Center.

Robert Olejnik, president of EKOPARK SA, noted that in the process of developing nuclear power systems and their stabilization, it is extremely important to emphasize the energy balance using hydrogen electrolysis and hybrid energy storage. It is planned to enrich such a valuable partnership on the CESTA SYNERGOATOM platform with experience and competence in this area.

Jiří Žďárek, representative of ÚJV Řež, commented on the importance of international cooperation in energy field: “Cooperation with our Ukrainian and Polish partners is extremely important both for security reasons and for the further development of the peaceful use of nuclear energy. From thinking and setting goals, you need to move on to concrete steps. Specialized companies and institutions in the Czech Republic have a lot to offer their partners in the field of development, construction and operation of nuclear resources. Nuclear energy is an area in which we are world leaders. This is manifested, among other things, in the national development of the SMR.”

In addition to representatives of academia and professional institutions, managers of the WITKOWITZ industrial group also attended the conference. The latter is developing its own technology of the small modular nuclear reactor DAVID together with Ukrainian specialists related to the world-famous Kharkiv scientific and technical base. The vice chairman of the board of directors of WITKOWITZ ATOMICA, Martin Groch said, among other things: “I was happy to present our DAVID SMR project to my colleagues. Czech industry is objectively ready to play a very worthy role in the supply of nuclear energy sources. Our DAVID SMR can be used not only as an ecological local energy source, but also in the heating industry. Small modular nuclear reactors are the way to safe, low-emission and economically advantageous electricity and heat. The Czech Republic should not waste its competitive advantage, where we can develop and manufacture products with high added value and export them. At the same time, cooperation with Ukrainian and Polish scientists and institutions is logical and natural. We just need to move from words to actions at the political level. The resulting CESTA SYNERGOATOM platform created by the EAES organization is a tool suitable for all participants to take real action to ensure energy security not only in their countries.”

At the end of the conference, the participants signed the Cooperation Agreement within the Center for Economic Stability (CESTA) by «SYNERGOATOM». It is an association of governmental and non-governmental organizations engaged in applied science, engineering, industrial production, energy-related education, development of new generation nuclear energy sources including SMR, and innovative technologies using renewable resources. The platform brings together institutions and companies from Czech Republic, Poland and Ukraine. Czech side that participated in the signing -Czechatom, which takes part in the development of DAVID SMR. The development and safety of small modular reactors are among the priorities of the signed agreement. Among the main areas in which the participants want to continue to cooperate is energy security and innovation in energy. The advantage of the Czech and Ukrainian academic community and companies is that they can offer their partners experienced experts who have continuous experience of decades of work on the development and construction of nuclear resources.

Among others, the conference was attended by:

Mykola Šulha – academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, general director of the National Science Center “Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology” of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Jadwiga Emiliewicz – State Secretary, Government Commissioner for Polish-Ukrainian Development Cooperation.

Mateusz Berger – State Secretary, Government Plenipotentiary for Poland’s Strategic Energy Infrastructure.

Alexander Chaly – Ukrainian diplomat, ambassador, president of GranThorton Ukraine.

Taisiia Kryvoshei – adviser to the Minister of Science, Research and Innovation of the Czech Republic.

Mykola Lubiv – First Deputy General Director of the intergovernmental organization “Ukrainian Science and Technology Center” (UVTC).

Jakub Mareš – deputy head of the department for Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and Central Asia of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

Sergii Pagach – head of the sector for technology transfer and commercialization of scientific and technical development of the National Scientific Center “Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology” of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Daniel Ozon – Polish public and political person, founder of the “UKR POWER INFRA” foundation under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland and the mayor of the capital city of Warsaw.

On behalf of the founders and partners of the Cooperation Agreement on the CESTA SYNERGOATOM platform, the conference was also attended by representatives of the professional realms:

Anatoliy Nosovskiy – academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, director of the Institute for Security Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Vladimir Chizhov and Sergii Saenko – Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Kharkiv Physical and Technical Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Mykola Sotnyk and Vladislav Kondus – Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Public Association “Sumy Engineering Cluster of Energy Equipment».

Robert Olejnik – president of EKOPARK S.A. – partner of the KEZO Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences, dealing with developments in the field of energy conversion and renewable sources.

Bronislav Kulikov – chairman of the EAES board, CEO of the SYNERGOATOM group.

Dalibor Matějů – vice-president of the Society of Veterans of the Nuclear Industry of the Czech Republic, expert in the management and operation of nuclear power plants.

Maxim Kremen – chairman of the Society of Veterans of Nuclear Energy of Ukraine, head of the Union of Veterans of Nuclear Energy and Industry of Ukraine, member of the expert and analytical council headed by the president of the state enterprise NAEK Energoatom;

Victor Shenderovich – NVAEPU expert, member of the expert and analytical council under the leadership of the president of the state enterprise NAEK Energoatom;

Among the immediate plans of CESTA SYNERGOATOM are the implementation of long-term scientifically demanding projects and innovative technological developments intended for the use of renewable resources, including nuclear energy. In this context, the founders of the Center, with the support of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Poland, intend to inform the governments of friendly countries about the start of activities. The launch of the Center also opens the way for cooperation with partner scientific and technical organizations of other countries, especially attracting international investment in development based on technological innovations using the clean and inexhaustible natural energy.