Austria threatens Czech EU talks over Temelin
Date: 19-Oct-01
Country: CZECH REPUBLIC
Temelin said in a statement it was awaiting approval by the Czech nuclear watchdog to raise output at its first reactor up to 75 percent of full capacity, the highest level ever, as it continues testing operations.
At the same time, the Austrian Environment Ministry said it would block the closing of the energy chapter between the EU and the Czechs next week unless its concerns about the Temelin nuclear plant were addressed.
Austria has been a long-standing opponent of the Temelin nuclear power station, just 60 km (37 miles) from the Austrian border, raising concerns that the plant is unsafe and should be shut down.
"The Austrian government acts on the basis of repeated parliamentary resolutions according to which provisional closure of the energy chapter with the Czech Republic will not be approved unless there is a satisfactory resolution of open questions," the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Czechs say the plant, combining Soviet-designed equipment with U.S. control systems, is safe.
The Czech power producer CEZ hopes the station's first block will be fully operational by the end of this year, followed by the second block next year.
Temelin said in a statement the turbogenerator's output has stabilised at 490-500 megawatts while the reactor is operating at 55 percent of capacity during the current testing phase.
Temelin was allowed last week to conduct final tests on the second block ahead of nuclear fuel loading later this year.