Slovaks show 'readiness' with nuke power relaunch: Czech PM

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Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek

Austria slams Slovak plan to reopen nuclear plant
Austria on Sunday slammed neighbouring Slovakia's decision to reopen a power generator at its Jaslovske Bohunice nuclear plant, following the gas crisis between Russia and Ukraine. "We cannot accept the re-opening of this unsafe reactor at Bohunice," Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich said in a statement. "In a community, agreements must be respected. The (plant's) shutdown was a key condition (to Slovakia's entry into the EU) for us and can't just be erased," he added. "Now it's up to the European Commission to strongly urge compliance with the accession agreement." In a rare moment of unity, opposition leaders from the two far-right parties and the environmental Greens party also blasted the decision, arguing that Bohunice was "one of the three most dangerous nuclear plants in Europe" and urging the Austrian government to take legal and diplomatic measures against Slovakia. Austria, a strong opponent of nuclear power, has often complained of nuclear plants in neighbouring countries and the potential repercussions for the small alpine state. Slovakia announced Saturday it would begin reopening a power generator at Jaslovske Bohunice, which was only entirely shut down on December 31 as part of a commitment to the European Union before its 2004 entry into the bloc. "We know that this is a violation of our conditions of membership" but there is "a risk of a blackout" due to the gas stoppage that must be addressed, Prime Minister Robert Fico said. Austrian Greens party leader Eva Glawischnig hit back: "The gas crisis should not allow countries to re-open dilapidated reactors or continue risky nuclear technology under the excuse that there's a power shortage: that's playing with fire."

by Staff Writers
Prague (AFP) Jan 11, 2009
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said Sunday Slovakia's decision to relaunch an ageing Soviet-era nuclear reactor showed a quick response to the gas crisis.

"At the moment, I take it rather as a demonstration of their readiness to tackle an issue that the European Union cannot resolve for Slovakia -- a looming blackout," said Topolanek, whose country currently holds the EU presidency.

On Saturday, Slovakia said it would begin reopening a VVER 440/230 reactor, -- the oldest type of the Soviet nuclear power generators -- at the Jaslovske Bohunice plant near Bratislava because of the cut-off in gas supplies due to the payment dispute between Russia and Ukraine.

Slovakia shut the unit down on December 31, meeting a commitment it had made to the European Union ahead of its 2004 entry into the bloc.

"We know that this is a violation of our conditions of membership" in the EU, but there is "a risk of a blackout" that must be addressed, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Saturday.

Topolanek said Slovakia produced "power from gas and they are facing serious problems" and added the issue showed Europe needed mechanisms to ensure energy security, one of the Czech EU presidency's top priorities.

"We are tackling the problem five minutes past twelve, not at five to twelve," he said only a few hours after returning from a mission to Russia and Ukraine that paved the way for renewed gas deliveries.

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Philippines revisits nuclear energy option at 'white elephant' plant

Morong, The Philippines (AFP) Jan 8, 2009
The Bataan nuclear power plant stands as a monument to the greed and corruption of the years the Philippines spent under strongman president Ferdinand Marcos.

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