Czech Republic

CEZ says will ask for nuke plant assessment

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

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.

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U.S. backing for Serbian IAEA project

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

VIENNA -- The U.S. has backed Serbian efforts to transfer the remaining nuclear waste at the Vinča Institute out of the country by 2010.

The U.S. delegation supported the project at the International Atomic Energy Association’s (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, said Deputy Science and Technology Minister Miroslav Vesković.

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Slovak Premier, French President Agree on Nuclear Cooperation

Friday, September 19, 2008

Paris, 17 September: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and French President Nicolas Sarkozy today signed an agreement on cooperation in nuclear energy and agreements on strategic partnership which is expected to enhance all-round relations between the two countries.

"France and Slovakia have clearly opted for nuclear energy. It covers 50 per cent of electric energy consumption in Slovakia," the French presidential office said on the meeting.

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Chernobyl nuclear disaster shocks the world

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Twenty-two years ago, the most serious accident in nuclear history disrupted the lives of millions of people. Massive amounts of radioactive materials were released into the environment resulting in a radioactive cloud that spread over much of Europe. The greatest contamination occurred around the Chernobyl nuclear power station in areas that are now part of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. People in Czechoslovakia were not in acute danger, but like others in the communist block they learnt about the nuclear accident many days after it happened and the media censorship ordered by the communist regime prevented them from taking even the most basic precautions.

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Parties against renewal of uranium mining

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Liberec, Sept 11 (CTK) - Representatives of the strongest six parties that will run in the regional elections in October Thursday unanimously rejected the idea of uranium mining being renewed in the Liberec region.

The discussion meeting today was organised by a local NGO to show politicians' position on the issue many locals worry about.

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The time bomb

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Since the end of the cold war, the United Nations has logged more than 800 incidents in which radioactive material has gone missing, often from poorly guarded sites. Who is taking it - and should we be worried? Julian Borger investigates.

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Nuclear renaissance may revive Czech uranium mines

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

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.

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Putin takes look at technology of nuclear fuel production for nuclear power plants

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

ELEKTROSTAL, July 29 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has taken a look at technology of nuclear fuel production for nuclear power plants during his visit to the machine-building plant Elemash on Tuesday.

He was shown the whole technological chain – from production of “nuclear tablets” to heat clusters.

The plant’s director general Oleg Kryukov said “this is wholly our production - design, software and drawings; we buy parts abroad”.

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Nuclear projects in central and southeast Europe

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

A number of countries in central, eastern and southeastern Europe plan to build new nuclear power reactors or extend the life of existing ones to meet growing domestic demand and replace ageing power capacity.

The plans mirror a worldwide nuclear boom as part of the solution to climate change.

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Bulgaria sends uranium fuel to Russia

Monday, July 21, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Bulgaria has sent its remaining highly enriched uranium to Russia for safeguarding from terrorist or other potential misuse.

Nearly 14 pounds of the spent fuel were received Thursday at a Russian nuclear facility, the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration announced. A first shipment of 37.3 pounds of fresh uranium fuel was sent to Russia in December 2003.

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