WRITTEN QUESTION P-1659/99 by Hubert Pirker (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Krsko nuclear power station.
Date: 1999-09-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, Italy, decision-making, excise duty, fiscal policy, implementing Regulation, mineral oil

C 170 E/66

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.6.2000

(2000/C 170 E/074)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1659/99

by Hubert Pirker (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(14 September 1999)

Subject: Krsko nuclear power station

In his hearing before the European Parliament, Commissioner-designate G(cid:252)nter Verheugen stressed that
the accession to the EU of individual applicant countries would be dependent on the decommissioning of
unsafe nuclear power stations and the submission of plans for withdrawing from the production of
electricity generated by nuclear power in stations posing risks. Mr Verheugen emphasised that, on the
matter of the safety of nuclear power stations, there was not the slightest room for compromise. However,
the nuclear power station in Krsko, Slovenia was not included among those listed by the Commissioner-
designate, although it is situated in an earthquake fault zone and therefore poses a huge threat.

What action does the Commission intend to take to ensure that this unsafe nuclear power station in
Slovenia, a country applying for accession, is decommissioned, removing the threat which it poses in
particular to the adjoining Austrian L(cid:228)nder of Carinthia and Styria?

Will the Commission attach the same conditions to the decommissioning of Krsko as those set out by
Commissioner-designate Verheugen regarding the unsafe power stations to which he referred?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 1999)

The Commission has already stated that the Soviet designed nuclear power plants (NPP) considered non-
upgradable operating in candidate countries, should be closed at the earliest practical date, in accordance
with agreed timetables. This is the case of the Ignalina NPP in Lithuania, units 1-4 of the Kozloduy NPP in
Bulgaria and Bohunice V1 in Slovakia. Towards this objective, the Commission is negotiating with these
three countries through joint working groups.

The case of Krsko in Slovenia is different. It is a plant of Western design, similar to other plants of this
type operating in the Community and other Western countries. Slovenia continues the safety improvement
programmes of the plant. Agenda 2000 states that (cid:145)Where Western-designed plants are in operation
(Romania and Slovenia), developments should be monitored to ensure that operations comply with the
appropriate safety standards. Technical assistance can be provided if necessary(cid:146).

The accession partnership with Slovenia identifies two medium-term priorities in this field namely the
strengthening of the nuclear safety authority and the adjustment of the Slovenian nuclear policy and
investment plans in line with the results of
in the
surroundings of the Krsko nuclear power plant.

the seismic risk assessment

to be carried out

In this context, over one M€ has been allocated in the framework of the PHARE programme to support
the safety authority, notably through transfer of methodologies and procedure from Community nuclear
safety regulators. Also in the framework of the PHARE programme, and with the aim of re-evaluating the
seismicity of the area and its potential impact on the plant design, € 500 000 is being provided to the
Krsko nuclear power plant. The first results of the study are expected by the end of the present year.

(2000/C 170 E/075)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1660/99

by Massimo Carraro (PSE) to the Commission

(14 September 1999)

Subject: Council Directive 92/0081/EEC of 19 October 1992 on the harmonisation of the structures of

excise duties on mineral oils

Law No 448 of 1998 adopted by the Italian Parliament provides for a reduction in the cost of fuel oil and
liquefied petroleum gases used in administrative districts in certain parts of the country where, because of