The Ministry of Industry made a preliminary flood-damage estimate for the Czech power sector:
- Regional electricity distributors (CEZ is to acquire the state’s stakes in all eight domestic distributors) and CEPS, the national grid operator (100% owned by CEZ, though 66% is to be sold to the state), have incurred direct damages of CZK 2.1 bil; shortfalls in production are further expected at CZK 380 mil. Also, some of the distributors are offering price discounts for residents in flooded areas, and this will have a further negative impact on their 2002 results;
- CEZ has incurred direct damages of CZK 850 mil. (mainly to hydro-power plants), and the shortfall in production is estimated at CZK 100 mil.
The first reactor of the Temelin nuclear power plant decreased its load on Saturday due to technical problems in the non-nuclear part of the plant. Tests at the second block continue at 30% of capacity.
Jiri Soustruznik