US energy secretary Chris Wright and Slovak prime minister Robert Fico have signed an intergovernmental agreement to advance cooperation on Slovakia’s civil nuclear power programme, including the development of a US-supplied large-scale nuclear unit at the Bohunice nuclear power station.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) said the agreement, signed on 16 January, supports Slovakia’s efforts to diversify its energy supply, strengthen long-term energy security, and integrate advanced nuclear technology into Central Europe’s energy infrastructure.

“A project of this scale is expected to create thousands of American jobs across engineering, advanced manufacturing, construction, nuclear fuel services, and project management, while reinforcing US supply chains and expanding access to global markets for American-made nuclear technology,” the DOE said.