The Czech Republic on Monday gave its approval to start the first reactor of the controversial Temelin nuclear power plant. The Austrians, who had once voted to mothball their own nuclear power station, have long demanded the Soviet-designed Temelin be scrapped on grounds that it is unsafe and unneeded. The construction of the Temelin power plant was approved by the communists in 1980. The government decided to go ahead with the project after the fall of communism in 1989 - but only with two of the four originally planned blocks.
Czech environmentalists agree.
But others argue - the nuclear plant will provide the country much needed energy and enable the phase out of polluting coal burning stations in the north. On Monday, the Czech nuclear safety office gave approval to power generator CEZ to launch the chain reaction in the plant's first reactor. The power firm plans to start commercial operations at Temelin in May 2001. Washington D.C. The Uranium Institute A non-governmental organisation concerned with the whole nuclear fuel cycle.