Nuclear power in Europe

Prague – The Greens did not manage to pass the 5 percent threshold in the late May legislative elections, which means there is virtually no opposition in the Lower Chamber of the Czech Parliament against plans on nuclear energy build-ups in the Czech Republic.

This means that the center-right coalition can easily implement its nuclear energy program, which includes building new reactors in the Temelín nuclear plant and modernizing the Dukovany nuclear plant. (more…)

Dukovany, Jan 20 (CTK) – Staff at Czech nuclear power station Dukovany yesterday unhooked the plant’s third production unit from the grid owing to a leak in the secondary circuit.

Technicians found out that tens of litres of non-radioactive water per hour were leaking from one of the pipelines in the secondary circuit. (more…)

Although the information hasn’t made front page headlines yet, the biggest behind-the-scenes swarm of lobbyists is now hovering over the construction of two additional reactors at the Temelín nuclear plant. The actual deal looks “somewhat” different. The state-owned energy giant ČEZ is looking to secure five nuclear reactors: two for Temelín and another three for power plants that the energy company plans to build abroad, altogether, a contract worth CZK 500 billion. It’s a gigantic tender, the biggest in Czech history. (more…)

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The Slovak government has chosen the Czech Republic’s main power utility CEZ AS as its strategic partner to build a new nuclear power station in Slovakia.

CEZ spokesman Ladislav Kriz said Wednesday the two planned to establish a joint company next year that will build and operate the plant by 2020.

(more…)

PRAGUE, Nov 25 (Reuters) – Czech power group CEZ said on Tuesday it had disconnected Unit 2 at its nuclear power plant Temelin from the grid in the morning due to a fault in a non-nuclear part of the unit and it would be down for two days.

Temelin has two 1,000 megawatt units. The other unit is also out of order, undergoing repair work that is expected to continue until the middle of December. (more…)

SOFIA, Nov 18 (Reuters) – Romania is due to sign a deal with selected foreign bidders to build two more reactors at its nuclear power plant in Cernavoda on Nov. 20, one of the investors, GDF Suez, said on Tuesday. Earlier this year, the Balkan country decided to retain a 51 percent stake in the planned reactors and leave the remaining 49 percent for the six bidders it chose last year as partners.

The partners are Belgian Electrabel, owned by French power giant GDF Suez, German power giant RWE, Czech utility CEZ, Italy’s Enel, Spain’s Iberdrola and a Romanian unit of steel giant ArcelorMittal. (more…)

PRAGUE (AFP) — Central Europe’s top power producer, Czech-based CEZ, is pinning hopes on the financial crisis to thwart the approval of the EU’s green package, saying it would hit hard at the region’s coal-dependent industry.

The EU’s climate-energy package seeks to raise the share of renewable sources in power production by 2020, boost energy savings and tighten the rules for trading in CO2 emission permits in a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions. (more…)

VIENNA (Reuters) – Czech power firm CEZ will file for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of a new unit at its Dukovany nuclear power station in weeks, CEZ sales chief Alan Svoboda said on Tuesday.

CEZ already filed a request to add two units at its Temelin plant earlier this year as it prepares to renew and expand its nuclear portfolio. (more…)

BANDIRMA, Turkey, Oct 22 (Reuters) – Energy import-dependent Turkey is pressing ahead with large energy investments despite global financial woes and ongoing private sector projects will raise capacity to 62,600 megawatts from 40,000 MW.

Turkey, a major energy importer, is under pressure to increase power capacity and liberalise the sector in the face of sharply rising demand, fuelled by economic growth and a rapidly growing population.
However, the shrinking global liquidity and lessening risk appetite generated by the financial crisis has raised concerns about companies’ ability to raise the necessary funding and uncertainty surrounds some projects. (more…)

DOLNI ROZINKA, Czech Republic, July 30 (Reuters) – Renewed interest in nuclear power and high uranium prices may extend the life of Czech uranium mines or even reopen closed deposits, said the head of the country’s sole, state-owned miner Diamo. The centre-right cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek gave the ailing industry a boost last year, allowing Diamo to explore uranium reserves at its only remaining mine in Dolni Rozinka, 180 km (113 miles) east of Prague. (more…)