World's first Nuclear Energy Summit took place in Brussels on March 20, 2024. The event was participated by 36 countries already utilizing nuclear energy or planning to invest in its development, including Slovenia. Global leaders highlighted the role of nuclear energy in addressing global challenges such as reducing fossil fuel consumption, enhancing energy security, accelerating economic development, and shared national visions for future utilization of its potential.

At the invitation of hosts of the event, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, the summit was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Robert Golob.

The Prime Minister emphasized Slovenia's ambitious plans to decarbonize the energy sector, combining investments in renewable energy sources and expanding the nuclear program. Slovenia has been a nuclear state for over 40 years, and the experiences with nuclear energy are exclusively positive, both in terms of energy security and affordability and in terms of fulfilling environmental responsibilities, he stressed. Highlighting that nuclear energy can fully meet future developmental expectations, he identified the responsibility of all political leaders to prioritize nuclear safety, which is also the foundation of positive public support. As he illustrated, support for nuclear energy in Slovenia has never been higher, exceeding 65%. Nuclear new builds must have access to financing from international financial institutions under the most favorable conditions, and strengthening the stability of supply chains and successfully ensuring human resources play a crucial role, the Prime Minister added.

The event featured expert discussions on the competitiveness, applicability, and sustainability of nuclear energy, as well as the opportunities and challenges in establishing competitive conditions for financing nuclear energy projects. Dr. Dejan Paravan, the CEO of GEN energija, participated at the roundtable on accelerating the construction of nuclear power plants, attended by high-level ministerial representatives and the nuclear industry.

"Standardization and replication of successful projects are crucial for shortening construction time and managing construction costs. Established supply chains, with quality as the priority, are extremely important in this regard. Therefore, GEN is examining proven designs, meaning power plants that have already been built," Dr. Paravan explained.