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Czech nuclear plant sparks fury

Inside Temelin
The control centre from where the Temelin nuclear plant was activated  

TEMELIN, Czech Republic (CNN) -- The Czech Republic is pressing ahead with activating the Temelin nuclear power station on Tuesday, brushing aside mounting protests from neighbouring Austria.

Overnight, dozens of Austrian anti-nuclear campaigners blocked border crossings to protest against the plant becoming operational for the first time.

They were joined at dawn by more protesters who pledged to maintain the blockade all week.

The plant follows a Soviet design and is for some a haunting reminder of Chernobyl, though it has been upgraded with Western security technology.

The tabloid Austrian daily Kronen Zeitung said: "A Chernobyl on our border -- from today we live in fear."

CNN's Elina Fuhrman said nuclear experts believe an untested hybrid design mixing Soviet design with Western technology could spells trouble.

Austria's Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel wrote to his Czech counterpart on Monday asking him to postpone Temelin's activation.

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Austria has warned that it might raise objections to the Czech Republic's application to join the European Union if it does not receive sufficient safety assurances about Temelin.

However, European Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen has said Temelin should not block the EU enlargement talks.

The German Environment Ministry has also criticised Temelin, saying it is not up to their standards.

Reactors ready

This first of two 1,000 megawatt reactors has been heated up to 280C and is now ready to become operational.

It was the final preparations before Temelin 'goes live' - providing the Czech Republic with much needed electricity at a time of rising oil prices.

Reactors
Temelin will eventually provide 20 percent of the country's power  

Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman attended a ceremony late on Monday formally activating the reactor.

Zeman has offered to hold talks with Schuessel later this month, but only if all the border blockades had ended.

The border protesters spent the night at three frontier posts between the two countries, following on from a series of demonstrations on Monday.

The management of the Czech energy company, CEZ, has tried to allay fears about Temelin, even allowing journalists and environmental activists through its heavily guarded doors to inspect the site.

Company spokesman Milan Nebesar told CNN: "In the centre of Europe, we will have a nuclear power plant that is absolutely safe and its level of quality would be compared to Western power plants."

On several occasions, thousands of environmentalists have converged on border crossings between Austria and the Czech republic.

The plant has experienced several setbacks in recent weeks, including minor water leaks in faulty valves and steam generators.

"All problems are normal and minor. All projects have mishaps, that's why we are conducting the tests." Nebesar added.

When Temelin's two reactors are fully operational by 2002, the station will provide about 20 percent of the Czech Republic's power needs.

The plant was originally conceived in 1980, and work began in 1983. But the project to build four VVER-1000 megawatt reactors was re-evaluated after the collapse of communism in 1989.

Reuters contributed to this report.



RELATED STORIES:
Disputed Czech nuclear plant counts down to launch
September 21, 2000

RELATED SITES:
Temelin Project
CEZ Power Company
Temelin Action
International Atomic Energy Agency

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