EIA not necessary for Temelin nuke units' licence renewal - CEZ

Info.cz

The process of licence renewal for the existing blocks of the Temelin nuclear power plant in southern Bohemia does not constitute construction proceedings, so no EIA is required for it either under the EU legislation or under Czech laws, power utility CEZ spokesman Ladislav Kriz told CTK.

He was reacting to the information, reported by the APA agency today, that according to an expert opinion produced by the Johannes Kepler University in Linz for the Upper Austrian Environment Ministry, a cross-border environmental impact assessment (EIA) should be required as a prerequisite for allowing further operation of Temelin units.

The current licence for the operation of Temelin units 1 and 2 will expire in October 2020 and in 2022, respectively. Temelin nevertheless plans their extension until 2060, Upper Austrian Environment Minister Rudi Anschober said, according to APA.

Anschober intends to present the expert opinion to the Austrian government, calling on it to take legal steps against the planned permission of further operation of reactors without EIA, APA said.

Temelin, launched in December 2000, is the biggest source of electricity in the Czech Republic, covering about one fifth of domestic consumption. Last year it produced 15,66 TWh of power.

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