STA, 22 July 2022 - The country's sole nuclear power station NEK is operating at full power and in line with administrative restrictions despite the low water level of the Sava river and high air temperatures.

The cooling towers are operating at full capacity. The plant's efficiency is slightly lower, which is why good coordination of the water regime with the hydroelectric power plants on the lower Sava is important, NEK said.

The plant's output is 1.5% lower than normal these days, but NEK has been running continuously for 443 days since the last scheduled maintenance was completed in May last year, the power station told the STA.

NEK uses the water from the Sava for cooling or extraction of heat which cannot be used for electricity generation but is needed to cool the condenser. In this process, pumps push the water captured in the river through the condenser and return it to the Sava. The flow rate in the condenser is about 25 cubic metres per second.

As the resulting warming of the river water could affect the biological characteristics of the Sava, there are administrative restrictions as to how much the water temperature is allowed to rise and how much water can be used. The cooling towers are activated whenever environmental conditions require it.

In extremely adverse weather conditions, compliance with these restrictions requires a reduction in the power plant's output. However, in order to reduce the plant's dependence on the river, NEK's cooling tower system was modernised and expanded in 2008.

The cooling system of NEK's tertiary circuit was improved and four additional cooling cells built. Before this upgrade of the cooling tower system, NEK operated at reduced power for 93 days in 2003 due to environmental constraints related to the Sava river.

STA, 15 April 2022 - Parties that polls suggest have a chance of making it to parliament in the 24 April general election support building unit 2 of the Krško nuclear power plant (NEK 2), but most say it should be put to a referendum first. The Left says the project should be put on hold until broad public debate is held on issues involved.

Judging by their answers to the STA's questions, the parties oppose extending the lifespan of the Šoštanj coal-fired power plant (TEŠ) and only the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) allows for a potential extension if such a decision was taken in dialogue with the local community.

All parties also underscore the need for a just restructuring of the Šalek Valley, which is home to TEŠ and the mine supplying its coal.

While there is unity on the need to increase supply from renewable sources, the Left and some smaller non-parliamentary parties oppose building new hydro power stations on the Central Sava, citing negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.

On NEK 2, the Left says it should be suspended in order to conduct a broad debate on potential alternatives and issues such as storage of nuclear waste, while the final decision should be taken by citizens in a referendum.

The Freedom Movement, the party of Robert Golob, a former energy executive, urges setting out a long-term programme of nuclear energy production, examining all potential technologies and suppliers, and drawing up comprehensive investment paperwork, which should be subject to an independent audit.

"Only once we have a comprehensive picture, it's right that people take an informed decision on the matter in a referendum," the party says. In fact all centre-left opposition parties advocate holding such a referendum.

Like its coalition partners, the ruling Democratic Party (SDS) supports NEK 2, describing preparations and the launch of procedures for the project as the most important commitment delivered in the field of energy by this government (an energy permit for unit 2 has been issued under this government).

Connecting Slovenia, an alliance that also includes the ruling coalition party Concretely, sees NEK 2 as a transitional solution in a bid to increase Slovenia's self-supply and preserve lower prices. However, for a long-term sustainability Slovenia needs projects to tap on its potential in geo-thermal energy, wood biomass, wind, sun and micro hydro power plants.

Another government party, New Slovenia (NSi) supports NEK 2 and hydro-power plants as well as geothermal and solar energy, and sees hydrogen as a fuel of the future. The goal is for Slovenia to become a net electricity exporter.

The party promises financial schemes to cover investments in renewables though savings and earnings and tackling red tape so that small hydro power stations can be built on rivers and streams.

The centre-left opposition parties support NEK 2, provided "transparent financial and technological project plan, broad public and expert debate held beforehand and a consultative referendum" as the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) put it, warning that NEK 2 should not become another TEŠ 6 where "some government moves are not inspiring trust that this would not happen".

Given the project is supported in a referendum, the SAB would support building a modular-reactor power station. Apart from increasing production from renewable sources, they also see investment in power distribution networks and energy storage facilities as urgently needed.

In a bid to reduce dependency on exports, such investments are also supported by several other parties. The Social Democrats (SD) call for investment in all types of renewables, including in producing and extracting green gases, green hydrogen and synthetic methane. The party will also support hydro power stations on the Central Sava if the project is adopted in a strategic document.

Meanwhile, the opposition National Party (SNS) says that while they absolutely support building NEK 2, it should not be built in cooperation with Croatia, which owns half of the Krško nuclear power plant. The party also opposes wind farms, which it says have proved to be bad investment in Slovenia.

Some parties propose dates when Slovenia should phase out coal and shut down TEŠ; the Left says coal should be fully abandoned by 2030 and the SDS says TEŠ should end its operation by 2032 as the Freedom Movement says extending TEŠ's lifespan beyond 2033 would not solve challenges of safe supply with fossil fuels.

All parties support boosting investment in renewables, where the SDS would favour those which do not create additional financial burdens on the population and businesses due to support schemes. One of the key solutions they see is building a liquefied natural gas terminal as soon as possible.

The Freedom Movement finds it worth continuing to exploit the energy of the Sava if siting of new stations can be done in a socially and environmentally acceptable way. Domestic production of biofuels, synthetic fuels and hydrogen would help Slovenia reduce its reliance on exports.

The Left bets on solar, wind and geothermal energy, reducing the volume of car traffic and increasing public passenger traffic and boosting energy efficiency of households and businesses.

The Pirate Party is in favour of NEK 2 if the contractor is picked based on appropriate references, but "strongly against" any further procedures to build hydro power stations on the Central Sava.

STA, 31 March 2022 - Prime Minister Janez Janša and his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković talked about cooperation in gas supply and the Krško nuclear power plant as they met in Zagreb on Monday. Talks will be resumed by the ministers in charge next week.

Potential for concrete cooperation will be discussed by Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and Croatian Economy Minister Tomislav Čorić as they meet in Zagreb next Monday.

The ministers will talk about expanding the pipeline from Lučko, a Zagreb suburb, through Zabok, north of Zagreb, to Rogatec in Slovenia. They will also discuss further cooperation on the Krško N-plant, which is owned jointly by the two countries.

"We're trying to find a common approach to supply, transport routes and the other necessary logistic. Gas, of course, is a small part of the energy we need for a normal life in Europe. Nuclear energy is also very important," said Janša.

The two countries see plenty of potential to cooperate in both energy areas when it comes to satisfying the needs of Slovenia as well as Croatia, he added.

"A large part of Europe is fully or partly dependent on energy imports from Russia, and anything that represents an alternative to these imports and dependency is a European priority at the moment," said Janša.

Slovenia would like to have enough capacities to be energy self-sufficient even in case of difficulties on the energy market. "As for our interest to lease capacities, the capacities that have been leased are leased, we're interested in additional capacities," said Janša when asked about lease of Croatian capacities.

Slovenia needs about a billion cubic metres of gas a year. The capacity of the gas pipeline from Lučko to Rogatec would be 270 million m3, which Janša said represented an important share of Slovenian gas supply.

While Slovenia is short of gas, Croatia is short of electricity. The Croatian government expressed readiness to take part in the construction of a second reactor in Krško following the model of cooperation so far.

Janša said the relevant government departments would look into potential for cooperation to jointly invest in the second reactor.

The prime ministers also talked about other bilateral issues, including the fishing regime in the Bay of Piran. Plenković said the two countries deepened their relationship in recent years and would also ease them on that point so that fishers would not be fined by Croatian or Slovenian police.

Since Slovenia started implementing the border arbitration award declared by the arbitration tribunal in June 2017 the following year Slovenian police have fined vessels entering waters awarded to Slovenia illegally, while Croatia has been fining Slovenian vessels fishing in the part of the bay it continues to claim as its own because it does not recognise the border award.

The two prime ministers also touched on the refugee crisis with Janša expressing Slovenia's readiness to accept the number of Ukrainian refugees in proportion to its size and the size of its population.

"There're no tensions, all the problems that exist, even if they have for several years, we're solving quietly and to the satisfaction of both governments and nations," said Plenković.

He thanked Slovenia for supporting Croatia in joining the EU, Schengen zone and the efforts to become a member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

"You have all the support for membership in the integrations that Slovenia is already a member of and Croatia is still a candidate country for," said Janša.

The prime ministers also talked about cooperation in trade and tourism. The volume of bilateral trade has reached EUR 5.6 billion. Plenković noted that that 1,166,000 Slovenian tourists holidayed in Croatia last year.

This was the eighth time that Janša and Plenković have met in the past two years.

STA, 28 March 2022 - Prime Minister Janez Janša and his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković talked about cooperation in gas supply and the Krško nuclear power plant as they met in Zagreb on Monday. Talks will be resumed by the ministers in charge next week.

Potential for concrete cooperation will be discussed by Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and Croatian Economy Minister Tomislav Čorić as they meet in Zagreb next Monday.

The ministers will talk about expanding the pipeline from Lučko, a Zagreb suburb, to Zalog, on the eastern outskirts of Ljubljana, and to Logatec, south-west of the Slovenian capital. They will also discuss further cooperation on the Krško N-plant, which is owned jointly by the two countries.

"We're trying to find a common approach to supply, transport routes and the other necessary logistic. Gas, of course, is a small part of the energy we need for a normal life in Europe. Nuclear energy is also very important," said Janša.

The two countries see plenty of potential to cooperate in both energy areas when it comes to satisfying the needs of Slovenia as well as Croatia, he added.

Predsednik vlade ?? @JJansaSDS je prispel v Zagreb, kjer bo opravil delovno srečanje s predsednikom hrvaške vlade ?? @AndrejPlenkovic. pic.twitter.com/7CeUySOd6t

— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) March 28, 2022

"A large part of Europe is fully or partly dependent on energy imports from Russia, and anything that represents an alternative to these imports and dependency is a European priority at the moment," said Janša.

Slovenia would like to have enough capacities to be energy self-sufficient even in case of difficulties on the energy market. "As for our interest to lease capacities, the capacities that have been leased are leased, we're interested in additional capacities," said Janša when asked about lease of Croatian capacities.

Slovenia needs about a billion cubic metres of gas a year. The capacity of the gas pipeline from Lučko to Logatec would be 270 million m3, which Janša said represented an important share of Slovenian gas supply.

While Slovenia is short of gas, Croatia is short of electricity. The Croatian government expressed readiness to take part in the construction of a second reactor in Krško following the model of cooperation so far.

Janša said the relevant government departments would look into potential for cooperation to jointly invest in the second reactor.

The prime ministers also talked about other bilateral issues, including the fishing regime in the Bay of Piran. Plenković said the two countries deepened their relationship in recent years and would also ease them on that point so that fishers would not be fined by Croatian or Slovenian police.

Since Slovenia started implementing the border arbitration award declared by the arbitration tribunal in June 2017 the following year Slovenian police have fined vessels entering waters awarded to Slovenia illegally, while Croatia has been fining Slovenian vessels fishing in the part of the bay it continues to claim as its own because it does not recognise the border award.

The two prime ministers also touched on the refugee crisis with Janša expressing Slovenia's readiness to accept the number of Ukrainian refugees in proportion to its size and the size of its population.

"There're no tensions, all the problems that exist, even if they have for several years, we're solving quietly and to the satisfaction of both governments and nations," said Plenković.

He thanked Slovenia for supporting Croatia in joining the EU, Schengen zone and the efforts to become a member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

"You have all the support for membership in the integrations that Slovenia is already a member of and Croatia is still a candidate country for," said Janša.

The prime ministers also talked about cooperation in trade and tourism. The volume of bilateral trade has reached EUR 5.6 billion. Plenković noted that some 1,166,000 Slovenian tourists holidayed in Croatia last year.

This was the eighth time that Janša and Plenković have met in the past two years.

STA, 24 March 2022 - Prime Minister Janez Janša urged ending Europe's dependency on Russian energy as soon as possible, as he arrived at the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday afternoon. "This train is already on its way and has no return," he said.

Slovenia supports the decision, which will be probably adopted today, that Europe frees itself of Russian energy as soon this is feasible, said Janša.

"This unfortunately doesn't mean tomorrow. We support as fast a path as possible," he said. "This train is already on its way and has no return. This will probably happen later than we wish, but much sooner than Russia wishes."

Doorstep by @JJansaSDS, Prime Minister of #Slovenia, at today's #EuropeanCouncil #EUCO, in #Brussels.
“There is an open channel regarding discussion with #China trying to persuade them to support the #peace effort to bring peace in #Ukraine”https://t.co/Np7FKXlAu6

— EU Council TV News (@EUCouncilTVNews) March 24, 2022

Janša said that the European Commission will present some solutions today. "I can say that those of which we have already heard are effective to a large degree."

Ways of the US helping out with liquefied gas was discussed earlier in the day with US President Joe Biden, who is Brussels.

Some proposals were also given by the Ukrainian side when Janša and his Polish and Czech counterparts visited Kyiv on 15 March, Janša said.

These proposals contain very efficient sanctions on which opinions in Europe practically do not differ, he said.

At the NATO summit, which was held before the EU summit, sanctions concerning military affairs were discussed. Janša said Russia buys certain dual-use products as civilian products but uses them for military technology.

STA, 12 October - Ten EU countries, Slovenia included, have asked the EU Commission to recognise nuclear power as a low-carbon energy source that should be part of the Union's transition towards climate neutrality and help reduce the bloc's energy dependence.

The ten countries say nuclear is a "key affordable, stable and independent energy source" that could protect EU consumers from being "exposed to the volatility of prices," Euronews has reported.

"While renewable energy sources play a key role for our energy transition, they cannot produce enough low-carbon electricity to meet our needs, at a sufficient and a constant level," the letter says.

The signatories also highlight nuclear as a way of improving the bloc's energy independence. "The rise of energy prices have also shown how important is it to reduce our energy dependence on third countries as fast as possible," reads the letter.

Commenting on the letter, Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec wrote on Twitter that nuclear energy was "crucial for energy independence. More and more countries now realise that."

Slovenia's sole nuclear power station in Krško accounted for 45% of all energy produced in Slovenia last year. Plans have already been set in motion to replace the ageing reactor with a new unit.

Commenting on the matter during a visit with Slovenian automotive suppliers in Idrija, Prime Minister Janez Janša said it would be impossible to provide sufficient supply of the population or achieve carbon-free society by 2050 without increasing production at nuclear power plants in Europe.

The countries that will not opt for nuclear energy for one reason or another will have to abandon their reservations about those who will or else the formula will not work out, said Janša.

He noted that nuclear energy is a political issue and one involving prejudice because of disasters such as the one in Chernobyl in 1986. "However, it's necessary to realise that since Chernobyl the technology has become more advanced and safety mechanisms have become much better."

Janša agrees that nuclear plants are not fully sustainable due to the problems of fuel and waste, but he said "all that is solvable".

"Either we opt for nuclear energy or we burn candles, a consideration will have to be made what poses a greater risk to the civilisation," said Janša.

STA, 19 July 2021 - The Infrastructure Ministry has issued an energy permit for the construction of the second unit at the Krško nuclear power station, a step that allows permitting procedures to begin and comes a week after the national climate strategy enshrined nuclear as a long-term energy option. The project will be managed by the state-owned Gen Energija.

"The energy permit kick-starts the broadest possible public debate, not just at the expert level but also among the people," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec told the press on Monday, adding that this did not mark the final decision on the investment, it is merely the first step.

Only after a broad social consensus is reached, procedures such as siting, the acquisition of a building permit, selection of contractor and construction itself will begin.

Project details such as estimated price, time frame or selection of technology have not been determined yet, nor has the precise location.

Vrtovec said the energy permit would serve as the basis for the verification of environmental, spatial, technical and economic parameters in the form of a national spatial plan, environmental impact assessment, cross-border impact assessment, building permit acquisition, selection of supplier and financing.

He said the plan was to build a 1.1 GW unit with an estimated production of 9,000 GW of electricity per year and a life span of sixty years.

The best available technology at the time of tendering will be used. According to Gen Energija director general Martin Novšak, for now the best and safest technology is a pressurised water reactor of the kind currently in use in Krško.

New generations of nuclear reactors are under development, including small modular reactors, but the technology has not hit the market yet.

Novšak said the second unit was "necessary and technologically feasible" and provided the answer to the energy trilemma - the balance of reliability of supply, environmental acceptability and economics. The company has enough experience to manage the project economically and transparently.

The investment would be financed with a combination of own sources, potentially with the help of co-investors and even with EU funds, according to him.

Novšak said the optimistic scenario was to arrive at a final decision in five years, whereupon it would take five years to complete construction. "This is a really ambitious goal," he said.

President Borut Pahor recently mentioned that a major decision such as this should be put to a referendum. Vrtovec said there was "no hurry" to do that, but if the people want a referendum "I see no serious problem why the people should not express their opinion."

Judging by good experience with the original power station, Vrtovec expects that the people will support the project.

As for the sentiment in neighbouring countries - Austria is a staunch opponent of nuclear and some stakeholders in Italy have expressed apprehension - Vrtovec said their positions were clear, but "every country secures its own energy mix".

Given that Slovenia plans to abandon coal by 2033, he does not imagine the country could secure energy independence only with alternative energy sources, without nuclear.

Slovenia's current nuclear installation, launched in 1983, has a permit to operate until 2023 but a 20-year extension has already been requested and is now the subject of various assessment procedures.

There is cross-partisan support for nuclear energy in the country and the plant has a flawless safety record.

STA, 14 August 2020 - Speaking about a potential second nuclear reactor in Krško, Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Blaž Košorok has told the STA that Slovenia is and will remain a nuclear country. Košorok, who is convinced Slovenia will need the reactor, called for a fact-based debate as opposed to politicking and appeals to emotions.

While the government recently placed a new nuclear reactor in Krško on the list of strategic projects for post-coronacrisis recovery, Košorok said this did not mean a final decision on the project had been made.

"We are talking about some kind of guidelines, but fact is that Slovenia is and will remain a nuclear country. We've been living with this for more than 40 years and will probably continue living with it," said Košorok.

The official, who described nuclear energy as a safe, reliable and long-term source of power, stressed that the 20-year extension of the life-span of what is currently Slovenia's sole nuclear reactor needs to be secured again first after a recent Administrative Court decision that entails a reinstalling of the original 40-year span ending in 2023.

Košorok is confident that the Environment Agency, which needs to okay the extension through an environmental impact assessment, has enough awareness about the importance of nuclear energy for Slovenia.

He stressed that securing the needed facilities for the storage of nuclear waste was a pre-condition for any decision. The investor, state-owned power utility Gen Energija, which manages Slovenia's half of the Krško nuclear power station, will have to be convicting with a serious investment plan and zoning procedures need to start.

Košorok added the investor will have to convince the asset manager, meaning the Slovenia Sovereign Holding, and key stakeholders, with the plan being that a decision on a second reactor be adopted until 2027 approximately.

Broad social consensus will be needed for a new reactor, especially in light of social and economic development, he added. He said some opposition is expected and normal while urging against politicking and for expertise-based debates.

He spoke of a fairly safe situation, pointing to the recent strong earthquake in nearby Zagreb that had no noteworthy effect on the Krško nuclear power plant whatsoever.

Košorok said it was too soon to speak about any technical details. There are a few interested parties, among them Westinghouse, which also built the existing reactor. Concrete decisions will be taken by experts, he added.

Interest in participation in the project was recently also expressed by Croatia, which co-owns the Krško nuclear power plant and has been cooperating with Slovenia in its management.

"There are ups and downs with any contract, a marriage is also a contract-based relationship that has good and bad moments. And I feel the good moments prevailed here," the official commented, welcoming Croatia's initiative while adding this was just one possible scenario.

The project has also drawn attention in other neighbouring countries, including Austria as a country traditionally opposed to nuclear energy. Talks were conducted as the life-span of the current reactor was being extended and Košorok said there had been "no dramatic opposition".

Meanwhile, the official also reflected on other potential energy projects in the country, highlighting the untapped potential in the Central Sava Valley, which he said could accommodate 10 hydro power plants. He said zoning and spatial planing should start immediately.

He moreover lamented the slow progress it the use of wind energy, saying Slovenia was unfortunately at the very tail end in this respect in the EU.

Košorok has a long track record in the energy industry. He headed the state-owned power utility HSE between 2012 and 2016, having before that spent seven years at the helm of the Ljubljana co-generation plant TE-TOL.

More on nuclear power and Slovenia

STA, 13 August 2020 - 5G networks and energy investments were at the centre of talks as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Slovenia on Thursday. The countries signed a joint 5G security declaration, with Pompeo saying that the tide was turning against the Chinese Communist Party, which is trying to control people and other economies.

The declaration excludes "untrusted vendors" from 5G networks, Pompeo said as he addressed the press alongside Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Janša in Bled.

Skupna fotografija predsednika vlade ?? @JJansaSDS in državnega sekretarja ?? @SecPompeo s soprogama ob zaključku obiska na Bledu. pic.twitter.com/JaVOzPBl3p

— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) August 13, 2020

"I know... that Slovenia prides itself on being a science and technology leader, and becoming a 5G clean country, as you're doing today, solidifies that position. The tide is turning against the Chinese Communist Party and its efforts to restrict freedom for all of us."

Meanwhile, Chinese mobile operator Huawei criticised the move by Slovenia, saying that it would not contribute to security of networks or improve cyber security and would in fact have negative consequences of 5G networks introduction in Slovenia.

The Chinese Embassy in Slovenia responded to Pompeo's statements, saying that it was the 21st century and that it was not time any more to instigate ideological clashes.

According to its press release, the US secretary of state was accusing and attacking China and spreading incorrect information. Inciting hatred and encouraging confrontations is not in the line with the spirit of the times, it added.

The embassy said it hoped that the signing was not directed against China. "We expect that Slovenia will meet its commitments and continue to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies."

The signing was also criticised by the left-leaning opposition Social Democrats (SD) and the Left. The latter warned that the declaration had not been coordinated with the EU, and its MEP Milan Brglez fears it may become legally binding for Slovenia.

The Left meanwhile said that the declaration was a "carte blanche for US control and abuse of ICT for military, economic and political purposes".

The party also said that Pompeo was in Slovenia to lobby on behalf of nuclear power company Westinghouse and the US military industry as Slovenia's government plans EUR 780 million worth of military investments.

While no meetings were scheduled to discuss military investments, Pompeo was seated next to Defence Minister Matej Tonin at the working lunch hosted by President Borut Pahor.

Pompeo did meet with energy executives and Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec, and discussed with Janša what he said was "the enormous potential of next-generation nuclear technology to deliver clean, reliable, diversified energy that will help ensure political independence and economic prosperity for Slovenia and the entire region".

Great meeting with Slovenian Prime Minister Jansa in Bled. Our Slovenian friends are key allies in our shared endeavor to bolster our defense and security. pic.twitter.com/VjO0UryHBV

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) August 13, 2020

He also tweeted that "energy security and independence require governments to partner with one another, private industry, and civil society to secure a brighter future for all. We welcome Slovenia's leadership on the Three Seas Initiative, and commend its innovation and dedication to clean energy."

At the press conference, Pompeo urged Slovenia to make a "quick commitment" to what he said was an "important partnership" the US is happy to fund, noting that he had announced in February the US would contribute US$1 billion for energy infrastructure in Central Europe as part of the Three Seas Initiative.

Janša in turn said that Slovenia appreciated the "US's proactive approach to energy security in Central Europe, which is reflected in strong support to alliances such as the Three Seas Initiative and the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation," adding that Slovenia would strengthen its role in both of these.

Touching on business cooperation, Janša told the press the sides shared the view that there was room to boost trade and investments, also saying that Slovenian IT companies could help in the development of 5G technologies.

The talks also touched on NATO, with Janša saying that Slovenia had in the past months made steps to increase defence spending and meet its obligations toward the alliance, with Pompeo commending the country for its growing commitment to NATO.

Janša and Pompeo also discussed relations with China and Russia, sharing the view that these must be based on strategic interest "of our civilisation, which is based on the values of security, freedom, the rule of law and democracy," according to Janša.

Janša also warned of what he said was a poor level of awareness in the west of the threat of a hybrid attack. "We see the US as the only power of the western civilisation capable of facing this challenging threat... and Slovenia is willing to contribute its efforts toward success."

Pompeo also met President Pahor, who hosted a working lunch. The president expressed great satisfaction with the visit, telling commercial broadcaster Kanal A that Pompeo had told him that he was leaving "Slovenia with the best possible impressions and that he sees great potential for future cooperation between Slovenia and the US".

Predsednik republike ocenil obisk ameriškega državnega sekretarja Michaela Pompea kot zelo koristen in uspešen https://t.co/EPBUUAhKdg pic.twitter.com/6F1JKFmeFU

— Borut Pahor (@BorutPahor) August 13, 2020

"It was very important that we did not find a very open, delicate issue that would cause divisions," said Pahor. He feels the countries are the most divided in terms of multilateralism.

"Slovenia is strongly dedicated to the existing political and legal architecture, because being a small country it sees safety in this. This is understandable, being a big country, the US may view this slightly differently."

But in general, the countries have "very, very similar views", said Pahor. "This is good. But above all, it is important that such talks end with mutual agreement that we are friends, that we trust each other and that many more things connect than divide us."

Predsednik vlade @JJansaSDS ob obisku ameriškega sekretarja #ZDA @SecPompeo: "Bog živi v stoletjih skovano prijateljstvo med slovenskim in ameriškim narodom!"

?? #StrongerTogether ??

Več: https://t.co/6D2Pa2o2bt pic.twitter.com/yFPL5fea5t

— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) August 13, 2020

STA, 14 July 2020 - Slovenia and Croatia confirmed on Tuesday revised programmes for the decommissioning of the Krško nuclear power station and the storage of radioactive waste, as the ministers in charge of energy chaired a session of the intergovernmental commission on the management of the jointly-owned power station.

The revised programmes had previously been confirmed by the Slovenian government and the Croatian parliament and reflect the decision to extend operation of the plant by 20 years beyond its originally planned shutdown in 2023, and the decision that each country will build its own radwaste repository.

"I am very satisfied that after a long time the two countries have finally implemented the commitment from the intergovernmental programme and confirmed the third revision... The programmes are crucial for the preservation of excellent and safe operations" of the power station, Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec was quoted as saying.

Croatian Energy Minister Tomislav Ćorić likewise expressed satisfaction. "I'm glad we have successfully brought this long process to a conclusion," he said according to the Slovenian Infrastructure Ministry.

The next session of the intergovernmental commission is scheduled to take place in Slovenia in the first half of 2021.

Slovenia plans to store its portion of nuclear waste in Vrbina, close to the power station, a project which is already well under way. Croatia plans to build a repository in Čerkezovac, close to the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, by 2024.