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Our history and present are closely related to the country's top experts and key energy projects.
The history of ÚJV Řež, a. s., began in the second half of the 1950s of the 20th century, at a time when the world was separated by the iron curtain. This also affected science and, above all, nuclear research. With support from the Soviet Union, the Czechoslovak government decided to establish a nuclear research institute called the Institute of Nuclear Physics and establish a Government Committee for Research and Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy. This was June 10, 1955. The task was to develop research activities in the field of nuclear physics, radiochemistry, nuclear power engineering and to ensure the development of the use of radioisotopes and their production. On this year, the construction of the site in Řež was begun. As early as 1957, the research reactor VVR-S (now LVR-15) was launched and the first nuclear fission reaction in Czechoslovakia was carried out. Over the following years, the Institute expanded, changed its name and founder, and the name Nuclear Research Institute has been used since 1972.
The fundamental change occurred after 1989 when research institutes began to gradually lose state support and thus their financial security. The Nuclear Research Institute was privatized as a whole in 1992 and transformed from a contributory organization into a joint-stock company. The shareholders became CEZ, a. s., SE, a. s., ŠKODA JS a. s. and Husinec. This was also associated with fundamental changes in methods of management, organization and, above all, changes in business strategy. The Institute of Nuclear Research Řež a. s. is gradually becoming primarily an engineering company and focuses on commercial contracts in domestic and foreign markets. The ability to convert research projects into real-time practice is becoming one of the company’s major competitive advantages. Basic orientation on project activities, safety, and the efficient operation of energy equipment, material engineering, and radioactive waste management is leading to a gradual expansion in the development and production of radiopharmaceuticals, especially for PET (positron emission tomography). Experts participate in projects in the development of new types of nuclear reactors and many other commercial activities at home and abroad. One of the priority directions of the company's development is also the application of hydrogen technologies in energy and transport.
An important formal milestone is September 1, 2012, when, based on the decision of the General Meeting of the company, the business name was changed to ÚJV Řež, a. s.
In 2022, the ČEZ Group became the 100% owner of ŠKODA JS and the share of ČEZ, a. s. in ÚJV Řež, a. s. increased to 69.85%.
The company’s new development strategy has also confirmed the acquisition of its subsidiaries which we own 100%. The UJV Group was formed and currently consists of Centrum výzkumu Řež, s.r.o., Výzkumný a zkušební ústav Plzeň s.r.o., ŠKODA PRAHA, a. s. and RadioMedic s.r.o.
The wide portfolio of services is complemented by other subsidiaries ENERGOPROJEKT SLOVAKIA a. s. (34% share) and Nuclear Safety and Technology Center s. r. o. (40% share).
