The conference, organised by the Nuclear Society of Slovenia and featuring over 150 experts, is dedicated to the state and development of nuclear energy and to helping promote the importance of nuclear energy for stable supply with low-carbon power.

"Nuclear energy is clean, reliable and proved to be low-carbon," Nuclear Society head Tomaž Žagar said at the outset of the conference, arguing that the share of nuclear energy in the energy mix in Europe as well as Slovenia should be increased.

He noted the reliability side had also been underlined during the Covid-19 crisis, with Slovenia's sole nuclear power station in Krško covering up to 50% of Slovenia's power needs during the peak of the epidemic.

Participants were also welcomed by Education, Science and Sport Minister Simona Kustec and Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Blaž Košorok.

The latter repeated Slovenia is and would remain a nuclear country. Nuclear energy is a cornerstone of energy supply and a key to decarbonisation, he said.

The conference was moreover addressed in a video call by the director general of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, William D. Magwood.