Three energy companies including U.S. Westinghouse, France’s EDF and Korea’s KHNP, have submitted their final bids to build the Czech Republic’s newest reactor at the Dukovany nuclear power station as the country strives to become more energy independent and wean itself of fossil fuels.

State-controlled power company CEZ said Tuesday it would assess the bids for the multi-billion-dollar contract before sending its decision to the government for final approval of the winner.

The three companies that met Tuesday’s deadline already submitted preliminary bids in November in a tender launched earlier in March 2022 after passing a Czech government security appraisal.

The new reactor should become operational by 2036. The winner of the lucrative contract will then have an option to build three more nuclear reactors in the country.