The US and Slovakia have signed an agreement to deepen cooperation on the civilian use of nuclear energy in an effort to reduce the EU member state’s dependence on energy supplies from Russia, dpa reported on Saturday.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright signed an intergovernmental agreement to this effect in Washington on Friday.

The plans include the construction of a new 1,200-megawatt reactor unit at the Jaslovské Bohunice site.

US-based power company Westinghouse is considered a leading candidate for the project, whose value is estimated at between 10 billion pounds ($11.6 billion) and 15 billion pounds, according to Agerpres.

Prime Minister Fico described the agreement as “a significant milestone in our bilateral relations, but also a clear signal that Slovakia and the United States are united by a common strategic thinking about the future of energy.”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the agreement reflects a “shared commitment to strengthening European energy security and sovereignty for decades to come.”

The existing nuclear power plants at Jaslovské Bohunice and Mochovce cover more than half of Slovakia’s electricity consumption, which has a population of just under 5.5 million.

The plants operate with pressurized water reactors based on Soviet and Russian designs.

In the past, Austrian anti-nuclear groups have repeatedly protested against these facilities, some of which are more than 40 years old.

The Jaslovské Bohunice site is located about 100 kilometers east of Vienna, dpa notes.