The draft national energy programme envisages five scenarios for the development of the energy sector. All five include the nuclear option, and three also foresee the construction of the 1.3bn generator in Šoštanj (TEŠ).

The new National Assembly will have to decide on loan guarantees for the construction of the new generator as a relevant bill was voted down in parliament in October. The plant has taken a EUR 440m loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which is requesting a state guarantee.

For the state-owned power utility HSE, which owns TEŠ, a new law on state guarantees for the loan is the first thing that has to be done in 2012. "This law is a key part of the project," HSE chairman Matjaž Janežič has told the STA.

Janežič believes that the project enjoys sufficient support among politicians and hopes that the law will be passed to enable the implementation of the project at a lower price. "This is not possible without guarantees," he said.

According to him, the construction works on the new generator would continue in 2012 and it is practically impossible to halt the project now.

The construction of a second reactor at Krško, Slovenia's sole nuclear power plant, is also being seriously planned despite the recent concerns about the safety of nuclear energy.

According to Gen Energija, the company managing NEK, reactions of the neighbouring countries to the plans vary. Italy, Croatia and Hungary do not oppose, while Austria is against, Gen Energija chairman Martin Novšak has told the STA.

He said that there was interest in investing in the construction of a second reactor, including among private investors from abroad. The estimated outlay of the investment, depending on the installed power, ranges from EUR 3.5bn to EUR 5bn.

Considering that the national energy programme, which envisages further use of nuclear energy, went through public debate last year, Novšak expects that the government and parliament will adopt this document and confirm its guidelines in 2012.

The heads of gas distributor Geoplin, power grid operator SODO and the national Energy Agency also believe that the document has to be adopted as soon as possible.

Geoplin chairman Boštjan Napast said that development of the energy sector is Slovenia was hampered without the programme. "Energy policy is extremely important in the European community and the same should apply in Slovenia."

He expects that natural gas will become a key source of energy in the future as Slovenia is making a transition to a low-carbon society and that the government will confirm this in laws and documents on the Slovenian energy sector.

SODO director Matjaž Vodušek added that the government is expected to continue to provide conditions for the implementation of EU directives in the field of electricity and the environmental goals of the bloc until 2020.

Energy Agency boss Irena Praček believes that the common goal of all stakeholders in the energy sector in 2012 should be reliable supply at reasonable prices. "The state will have to take its share of responsibility for the implementation of the energy policy", she said, adding that 2012 will be a very unpredictable year.