Environmentalists sceptical of nuclear energy after Dukovany deal

Prague, June 4 (CTK) - It is unreasonable to pin hopes on the new nuclear power plant to solve the Czech energy sector, representatives of environmental organisations told CTK in response to today's signing of final contracts for the construction of two nuclear units at the Dukovany power plant with the Korean firm KHNP.

They say nuclear projects may become even more expensive or delayed and spending on the reactor construction will limit investment in other areas. The Czech government should also focus on renewable energy sources or home insulation, environmentalists said.

"The complication that has now delayed the project is certainly not the last or the biggest. All nuclear power plant projects in Europe and the US have been significantly delayed and have become more expensive. So we have to count on the fact that even the new Dukovany, if it can be built, will be more expensive and will start producing (energy) later," said Jiri Kozelouh, head of the Friends of the Earth (Duha) movement's energy programme.

In his opinion, it is therefore unreasonable to pin hopes on the new nuclear power plant and see it as a solution for the Czech energy sector. He thinks it is far more important that wind power plants are built quickly in the Czech Republic, which can influence the energy sector sooner.

"Another key measure is to accelerate the pace of home insulation, which will help people reduce their energy bills," he added.

Jaroslav Bican, head of the Czech Greenpeace energy campaign, said that the signing of the contract with KHNP for the completion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant, south Moravia, is proof of how determined the Czech government was to push ahead with the nuclear plant.

"It is a pity that it is not as determined to move forward on renewables, since last year, it set a lower target than the European Commission (EC) recommended in its National Climate and Energy Plan," he said.

Last week, the EC again warned of insufficiently high targets for the share of renewable energy sources to meet the European target and recommended that the Czech Republic introduce more measures to accelerate the development of renewable energy sources and more support for energy savings in industry and transport.

According to energy consultant Edward Sequens of the Calla NGO, the impact of the decision to order two prototype Korean reactors will be borne by successive governments.

"According to the analysis of the Ministry of Finance, the state financing of this largest construction in the history of the Czech Republic also means restrictions in other strategic investments. And in the end, all by way of a surcharge on the price of electricity may burden the bills of its consumers for decades," he said, adding that the Czech Republic could have taken a different path and started to focus on the energy efficiency and renewables.

The Elektrarna Dukovany II (EDU II) company in charge of the nuclear tender today signed final contracts with the Korean firm KHNP to build two nuclear units at Dukovany. The companies did so just hours after the lifting of a court interim measure that had blocked the signing of the agreements.

The first unit at Dukovany should be ready in 2036. The construction of new nuclear units in the Czech Republic should be the largest domestic contract. The cost of the currently preferred construction of two reactors at Dukovany at current prices is 407 billion crowns.

($1 = 21.872 crowns)

pvr/dr/hol