CEZ: EP motion on Temelin

CEZ said that it would seek permission from the State Nuclear Safety Office to activate fuel in the first block of its Temelin nuclear plant around September 20. Separately, the European Parliament (EP) yesterday passed a non-binding motion asking the Czech government to examine the impact of the Temelin plant on the environment. The motion did not explicitly request that Temelin’s launch be stopped or postponed. The motion—passed when only a third of EP deputies were present—was dismissed by most local politicians as well as CEZ, and does not appear to have much support at the European Commission. Challenges to Temelin were to be expected during the countdown to Temelin’s launch, and this is unlikely to be the last attempt to suspend the project. However, nothing—apart from a few remaining tests—seems to stand in the way of the fuel activation of Temelin’s first block at the end of September.

(Ondřej Daťka)