Only a small number of companies can boast a successful ninety-five-year history. Teplárny Brno is among these, with CEO Petr Fajmon leading the way since 2011. He began his managerial career in the telecommunications sector. He became a sales director in a gas company before working in business development in the private sector. He currently manages the Dukovany to Brno hot water pipeline project and e-mobility, among other things.
Your company has been supplying Brno with energy for 95 years. What have been the main milestones of this journey?
Construction of the first municipal heating plant in Brno began in 1929. At the time, providing heat centrally and efficiently instead of through many individual boiler houses scattered around the city was a revolutionary step. The first boiler, commissioned in 1930, supplied just eight outlets. However, this marked the beginning of what has developed into one of the most extensive central heating supply systems in the country over the years.
We have grown from eight original customers to over 105,000 households and businesses. Our network of steam pipelines has grown from a few kilometres to over 420 kilometres of modern hot water pipelines, covering practically the whole of Brno. This provides the city with a stable, safe, and environmentally friendly heating system that is unparalleled in the region today.
Every decade has brought a new challenge. These have ranged from the electrification and expansion of the grid in the 1950s and 1960s to the transition from coal to natural gas in the 1990s. Now, there are ongoing efforts to decarbonise and incorporate renewable energy sources.
At the same time, we have succeeded during crisis years, whether it was COVID-19 or the energy crisis after 2021. It was during these times that the importance of having a strong, stable, and responsible municipal partner became evident.
Over the years, the technological landscape has evolved, and our approach has also changed. Thermal power plants have transformed from mere heat suppliers into modern providers of a broad spectrum of energy services. We now supply electricity and natural gas, manage a network of electric vehicle charging stations, and offer smart energy management tools for buildings and the public sector. This is one of the reasons why we chose a new slogan: We are your energy.
The year 2025 holds particular importance for us as we commemorate our 95th anniversary. This year will be a time for reflecting on our past while also demonstrating our future direction. We are organising a series of events for the public and our partners. We want to remind people in Brno that there is a considerable amount of human work, technical skill and responsibility behind every radiator and every litre of hot water. We also want to show that the energy produced by Teplárny Brno is more than just a physical quantity. It also represents a commitment to the city, its history, and its future.
The planned route of the Dukovany – Brno hot water pipeline
What is the company’s vision, and what are your managerial priorities to fulfil the company’s mission?
I think that being a successful manager today requires more than just being an adept technocrat. A good manager should also possess vision, empathy, and the capacity to inspire others. At Teplárny Brno, I lead a company that plays a strategic role in the city and has a significant human dimension. Our energy affects the lives of over 100,000 households every day. That is why I consider it crucial to combine three levels: stability, innovation, and responsibility.
Stability is a fundamental value for me. Customers must be able to rely on receiving heat and electricity at all times, at a fair price, with clear conditions. This is why we invest in infrastructure, digitalisation and services.
I see innovation as the engine of progress. Energy is no longer just about boilers and pipes. Nowadays, it is about smart solutions, renewable energy sources, using waste heat, and developing electromobility. We are not afraid of new approaches; in fact, we actively seek them out and develop them ourselves. Our ambition is for Teplárny Brno to be the region’s leading modern energy provider. And responsibility? To the city, to our colleagues, and to future generations. We do not want to be a company “for numbers”, but a company “for people”.
People are what our company is built on. Without our experienced managers, skilled technicians, designers, dispatchers, salespeople, and administrative staff, we could not function for a single day. I have tremendous respect for the expertise and commitment of our employees, whether they work in the field or in the office. It is their efforts that ensure Brno can depend on a reliable energy supply every day of the year.
I am convinced that when employees are satisfied and motivated, it leads to exceptional service quality. This is the most desirable outcome a manager could hope for.
One of the company’s strategic goals is certainly the use of heat from the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). What is the current status of this interconnection project?
Without exaggeration, the Dukovany to Brno hot pipeline project is one of the biggest milestones in the history of Teplárny Brno and one of the most ambitious energy projects in the Czech Republic. The project has a clear goal: to provide Brno with emission-free, stable, and predictable heat for decades to come. We have now finalised all the documentation, the tender for the designer is underway, and we are dealing with one of the most challenging aspects of the preparation: the property settlement of thousands of plots of land along the route. The 42-kilometre pipeline will pass through 14 municipalities, and careful coordination with owners, authorities and local governments is required for every metre.
Connecting two technologically and culturally different areas is not easy – nuclear power and district heating. Yet we believe that there is great potential in this combination.
The benefits are numerous. Firstly, we will be independent of gas. Currently, natural gas accounts for around 80 % of our fuel mix. Once the hot pipeline is operational, this figure will drop to below 10 %. At a time when Europe is dealing with supply uncertainty and price shocks, this is an extremely important step.
The second advantage is price stability. Unlike gas, nuclear heat is not subject to daily market fluctuations. This provides long-term predictability for households, the city, and businesses. The third major benefit is environmental. Each year, we will reduce CO₂ emissions in Brno and the surrounding area by up to 230,000 tonnes. This is equivalent to the emissions produced by over 100,000 cars. For a city that has signed up to the Covenant of Mayors and is committed to reducing emissions by at least 40 % by 2030, this is a vital means of achieving this goal.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with commissioning planned for 2030–31.
Presentation of the Hot Water Pipeline Project in the European Parliament.
Brno is successfully striving to become a clean city and create conditions for clean mobility. What are you doing to help?
In my opinion, a modern, attractive city cannot do without clean, accessible transport. Electric mobility is no longer just for technology enthusiasts; it is becoming a natural part of everyday life. As a municipal energy company, we at Teplárny Brno see that we have the opportunity and the responsibility to provide practical solutions that will genuinely benefit Brno.
We approach electromobility holistically, seeing it not as a trend but as a natural progression of our services. We begin with our core strength: dependable energy delivery. In this context, we supply electricity to charging stations and consequently to vehicles, corporate fleets, and urban infrastructures.
We have already built almost 100 public and private charging stations in Brno, and this number is growing. Their location is not random. We evaluate data on demand and our clients’ needs so we know where charging really makes sense.
Next year, we plan to open our first large-capacity HUB for fast charging in Červený mlýn. It will have eleven DC stations, comfortable facilities for drivers, and good accessibility to the city centre. This marks a shift for Brno from individual charging stations towards a systemic solution that can handle peak traffic.
Our goal is to install at least 500 public charging stations in Brno by 2030. Our vision is for a city where every electric car user has access to a charger, ideally within walking distance of their home or workplace. We are focusing on regular AC stations as well as on strategic locations for fast charging.
At the same time, we are working with companies that are switching to electromobility for their logistics, transport and services.
And let us not forget the environmental impact. Every new charging point means fewer emissions, less noise, and cleaner air. Combined with the fact that our electricity comes from environmentally friendly sources, we know we are offering a solution that is both convenient and sustainable. To us, electromobility is the way forward for a city that is quieter, healthier and ready for the future.
How do you connect with companies within the SMB Group, and what benefits does this bring to citizens and companies?
A strong city is based on good cooperation. We regularly liaise with our colleagues at the Transport Company, SAKO and Technical Networks, and we often look for ways to support each other while
reducing the city’s costs.
One example is our contract to supply Brno public transport with electricity, worth over half a billion Czech crowns. This will enable us to supply energy on more favourable terms, saving the city millions of Czech crowns compared to current market prices. Furthermore, we have secured a stable supply for one of the most important parts of the city’s infrastructure.
However, such cooperation is not just about contracts. We also exchange know-how and share technology and operational experience. By working and planning together, we can invest more efficiently and respond more quickly to the city’s and its residents’ needs. I believe this is the future of city services.
You use waste incineration. What are the outputs of this process?
In partnership with SAKO Brno, we utilise energy derived from waste, which offers both ecological and economic benefits. Presently, waste heat constitutes about 25 % of our energy mix. This is energy that would otherwise go unused. Instead of sending it to a landfill, we convert it back into heat and electricity for the city.
The advantages are clear. We reduce our dependence on imported gas while saving the environment and offering a stable and predictable source of energy. Moreover, this local solution makes sense in terms of technology and sustainability.
We envision this as the future of energy. Brno has the chance to create its own energy network based on local, renewable, and intelligent sources. And Teplárny Brno plays a key role in it.
Thank you for the interview.
