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MM: Professor Zdebor, the Nuclear Days conference has become a long-standing tradition in Pilsen, and this year marks its impressive 16th edition. What will be the main focus this year, and how will it differ from previous editions?

J. Zdebor: Nuclear Days has evolved considerably over the years and has grown into a fairly extensive event. This year's 16th edition focuses on the role of nuclear energy in ensuring the energy security and self-sufficiency of both Europe and the Czech Republic. It is evident that even former opponents of nuclear power within the leadership of the European Union now recognize its indispensable role in Europe's future energy mix. This shift is also reflected in the opening day of the conference.

The plenary session will address the question of whether the nuclear renaissance in Europe is already a reality or remains a vision. The first round-table discussion will then focus on the Czech Republic under the title "The Czech Republic in a Nuclear Europe."

This year's opening conference also continues the revised format we introduced last year. It combines brief keynote presentations with follow-up round-table discussions, creating more opportunities for open exchanges of views among representatives of academia, industry and public institutions.

MM: The event opens with an international conference. What will be the main discussion topics this year, and which sessions would you particularly recommend to the readers of MM Industrial Spectrum?

J. Zdebor: As I mentioned, the opening part of the conference will focus on the role of nuclear energy in Europe and the Czech Republic. The subsequent round tables will address issues directly related to the future development of nuclear power.

One of the discussions will be devoted to small modular reactors (SMRs), which have become one of the most frequently discussed topics in the sector, as well as to other emerging nuclear technologies.

The development of any industry—including nuclear energy—depends on having a sufficient number of qualified professionals and on educating the next generation. This will be the subject of another round table entitled "New Professionals for the Nuclear Future – Education, Research and Competences."

At the same time, nuclear power plants have been operating successfully for decades, so another session will focus on "Operational Reliability and Nuclear Safety." Closely related to this is the safe management of spent nuclear fuel, as it is officially referred to under Czech nuclear legislation—even though, in reality, the fuel is far from "spent."

In several countries, the decommissioning of nuclear power plants that have reached the end of their service life has already begun, whether for technical or political reasons. This topic will be addressed in the final round table, entitled "Decommissioning and the End of the Fuel Cycle." There will certainly be plenty of interesting discussions to choose from.

MM: Small modular reactors (SMRs) have been one of the hottest topics in recent years. To what extent do you think we will move this year from attractive visualisations to actual industrial deployment?

J. Zdebor: The expected large-scale expansion of nuclear energy is closely linked to the anticipated deployment of SMRs. In many countries, they are seen as a replacement for fossil-fuel-based energy sources, particularly for district heating.

Countries such as Russia and China have already commissioned pilot SMR projects, while Canada has begun constructing its first units. However, in most countries that intend to include SMRs in their energy mix, commercial deployment remains a medium- or long-term objective.

The Czech Republic is certainly among those countries that have not only the ambition but also a realistic opportunity to become part of the SMR rollout. ČEZ's investment in the British company Rolls-Royce SMR represents an important step towards actual deployment.

Rolls-Royce SMR has subsequently selected Škoda JS—now part of the ČEZ Group—as one of only two suppliers of key SMR components, including reactor pressure vessels, reactor internals and other primary circuit equipment.

As a result, the goal of commissioning the Czech Republic's first SMR at the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant site in the early years of the second half of the 2030s now appears to be within reach.

MM: Will the conference also cover specific engineering and materials technologies, such as 3D printing of metal components for nuclear applications, advanced automation or next-generation fuel cycles?

J. Zdebor: Last year we introduced a new section of Nuclear Days called Company Days. It gave participants the opportunity to explore specific technologies already being applied in the nuclear sector—for example, laser cleaning of reactor pressure vessel surfaces or the use of virtual reality in planning maintenance work at nuclear power plants.

This new part of the event received very positive feedback, so we are planning it again this year. The detailed programme is still being finalised, but the technologies you mentioned will certainly be included.

MM: Nuclear Days runs for more than a month and is also aimed at the general public. Which exhibits or interactive models will visitors be able to see at the accompanying exhibition on the university campus?

J. Zdebor: Among the most popular interactive exhibits are the carousel for measuring the radioactivity of various materials, a working model of the VR-1 "Sparrow" training reactor, which is kindly loaned to us by the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague, models of VVER reactor fuel assemblies, and many other exhibits.

The full interview is available on the MM Industrial Spectrum website.