Swanson School of Engineering

Today we got the chance to tour the energy company ČEZ and explore the different energy sources that are used to power the Czech Republic. ČEZ provides the highest percentage of energy out of any company in the Czech Republic and getting the opportunity to not only see the nuclear plant but also the coal mine was truly special. After a short bus ride, we were able to find ourselves in the center of a massive open field that spanned 40km^2 in area. Here, we saw massive machines digging coal out of the Earth and filtering it into a track that took it back up to the plant. After talking with the miners, we got to learn more about the energy conservation efforts that ČEZ was working towards. In recent years, they have been pushing for cleaner energy and have even started a reforestation project next to the mine. After being up close to these machines and seeing the vast warehouse needed to power the country, it made me appreciate the individual energy more. So many different people from different engineering backgrounds came together to supply the Czech Republic with power and it makes me excited to figure out what I can do for my country as an engineer.