WEBVTT

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Hello, everyone.

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Today, I saw a building site,

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because the nuclear power plant
in Krško is being refitted.

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I also had the opportunity
to talk to the management

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about how things are going
and what has been done.

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With a great national pride,
I will say

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what I checked three times. This
power plant is the first in Europe

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that has finished a 10-year
investment cycle after Fukushima.

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We don't realise often enough
and aren't proud enough

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because the Krško
Nuclear Power Plant is a synonym

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for a stable, reliable
and safe nuclear power plant.

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If we had more power plants
like this one in Europe,

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we would be in a better situation
regarding the energy supply.

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We also talked
about this situation

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which is tense
because of geopolitics

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and the Russian aggression
over Ukraine.

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Together, we also agreed

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that now,
it is time for the nuclear energy

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to get its place
in the future.

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It will be very hard for Europe
to come out of this situation

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without using
all technologies,

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mostly renewable sources,
but nuclear energy

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also has a chance

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to reaffirm itself and offer
solutions for the future of Europe.

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Time will tell
how it will be possible,

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but now is the perfect time
to think about it.

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I also challenged experts.
They first challenged politicians.

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We count on the experts to find a
serial solution as soon as possible.

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Not prototypes, a serial solution to
get nuclear energy from the West,

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from a reliable supplier,
also for equipment,

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from friendly countries.

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As soon as these conditions will be
met on the professional level,

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the politics will start looking
for a national consensus

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for this investment. I realise
that there will be a referendum

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and I stand by it.
This is the right thing to do

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because I want Slovenians
to be aware

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of the meaning
of this power plant

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and what kind of an opportunity
this is

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if we approach it properly,
for future generations.

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This much in short.

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Maybe a longtime director
also wants to say something.

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There you go.

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Thank you. I would like to thank
the Prime Minister for a visit

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in Krško in these
fairly difficult circumstances

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as far as energy supply
of Slovene consumers is concerned.

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The visit speaks volumes of the
importance of a nuclear power plant

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for a reliable supply
in the future.

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We are on track
to be back on the grid

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and to be able to continue
with a stability we were used to.

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The power plant is ready
for further 20 years of operation.

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We are finalizing
all the necessary procedures

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to enter the next two decades

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of stable and safe operation
of this facility.

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Thank you very much
for the support

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of the Slovenian government
and competent ministries

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in execution of current procedures
and the ones almost finished.

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We can conclude the first cycle,
40 years of operation. Thank you.

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Do you have a question
for a Prime Minister?

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From RTV Slovenija. Yesterday
you announced a regulation

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of natural gas prices
for recovery.

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How are you planning
to implement it?

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73 Euros should be
the purchase price of natural gas.

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Who will have to pay
a higher price to utilities?

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I would to talk
about nuclear power first,

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but I will answer this. I ask you
to stick to the nuclear topic first.

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The situation is not
so difficult as it seems.

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The system of natural gas
regulation is the same

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for utilities
as is for vulnerable consumers,

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public institutions
and households.

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Suppliers are always the same
and a compensation mechanism

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will be ready until
the end of this year.

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The only utilities which could be
a problem is Trbovlje.

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But the prices
are lower and falling.

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We believe a compensation will not
be needed till the end of the year.

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After that there will be
a systemic mechanism,

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which will apply for the whole
country and all categories

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It will be financed from the budget
where the funds are provided

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within the fiscal reserve
that is 1.2 billion.

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We won't need so much
and we are not worried

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that we could not provide this.
-Thank you.

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Urša Vrečar, Pop TV.
You say nuclear power,

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especially during the energy crisis,
has its own place.

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What about the second block?
When will the referendum take place?

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If anything has been
shown in this crisis,

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it is that we want energy sources,
which no one can blackmail us with,

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which we control technologically
as much as possible,

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and which have a reliable
and stable fuel source.

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Nuclear energy appears to be one of
the major stabilizers in this crisis,

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especially the Krško
Nuclear Power Plant,

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and from this point of view
it is worth being aware of.

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As for the construction
of the second block,

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we are now at the stage

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when the experts
have to prepare a serial solution.

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Time will tell whether they will be
able to prepare it in a year or two.

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There is a possibility
that the referendum

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could take place
towards the end of this term,

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if not, it will take place at the
beginning of our second term.

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As stated
in our coalition agreement.

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We should have all the bases
within five years at the latest,

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not only expert,
but also economic, commercial,

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also permits and consents,

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so that the population
could vote. I will repeat

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that we must have a referendum
with a feasible solution.

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Talking about it today, when
we still know practically nothing,

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would be irresponsible. That is why
we will give the mandate

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to the Slovenian owner
GEN Energy

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to speed up preparations
for the second block

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and invest considerable
resources for this purpose,

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to get to the point
where not only politicians,

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but all citizens can make
a quality decision about

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whether we want it or not.
Today such a decision

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looks simple from the point
of view of energy needs.

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But we would like
the solutions to be verified,

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so that what the experts propose
will actually be feasible.

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Any other questions on this topic?

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Radio 1.

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The second block
will most likely be in Posavje.

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It will definitely be here. -The
people of Posavje are disappointed,

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because the government again did not
listen or comply with their wishes

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that GEN Energy should be managed
by someone from Posavje.

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It controls half
of the nuclear power plant.

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This is a misinterpretation.

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The government
did not influence the appointment.

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Maybe there was an attempt by local
Posavje politicians to get involved,

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but as the one who has to take
care of national energy security,

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I cannot agree to that.

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According to my information,

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the new chairman of the board will
be someone from the GEN Group.

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This is proof that the government
has nothing to do with it.

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The chairman will be
someone from within the group.

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From a company
that is also located in Krško.

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I myself was the chairman
of the board of GEN-I,

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and during its 15 years,
GEN-I was always in Krško.

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Half of my heart
was also always in Krško.

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You should be happy
that Posavje is so popular

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that people from other parts
of Slovenia come to work here.

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They will be satisfied

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because the criterion
is always only professionalism.

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I am convinced that the new board
will be primarily professional

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and that it will focus on development,
not only on business challenges.

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The government
has nothing to do with it.

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Thank you very much.
Anyone else?

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A question on another topic.
-That was another topic.

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Mayors have put forward a motion
to change the law.

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How will the Government react
and what is the solution?

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It's a very complex problem
that we don't shy away from.

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I wish more had been done
in the past.

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We're aware of the complexity.

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A special taskforce will meet
for the first time in November.

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It will be chaired by State Secretary
Anton Grizold from my cabinet.

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He was a Defence Minister
in the past.

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He knows very well
how public administration works.

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He has my complete support to tackle
this problem discreetly,

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but also decisively.

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The taskforce includes
the four mayors,

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so I believe we'll be able
to bring together both local views

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and state-building.

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I'm optimistic about
the first steps of the taskforce.

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The problematic
has been around for a while.

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We need to be sophisticated,
but also decisive where needed.

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Thank you.

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About the gas from Algeria ...
When will the contract be signed?

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Politicians aren't signing them.
The first but not the last

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will be signed next week.

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I believe on November 3.

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I hope that is the case.

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We've already initiated
the process

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and came to the agreement
with Algeria

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for bigger quantities
and longer periods

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of natural gas supply. Probably
until the 2nd reactor is built.

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Thank you, everyone.

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We'd like to ask the President
of the board a few things.

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The overhaul was extended.
Why?

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The overhaul went brilliantly
with one exception.

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All the quipment, structures
and materials are in great condition.

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The power plant is in great shape.

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There were delays on the project
of replacing the high-pressure turbine.

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It is currently in progress
without any issues.

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The delay is the result of failure
in two separate special machines

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from Siemens.

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We couldn't replace them.

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Sadly the reason is as close
to force majeure as it gets.

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We're working around the clock
and we believe

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that the project will be
completed as soon as possible.

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and that the power plant will be
back online by November 7.