PR:The Czech government intends to actively defend high subsidies for nuclear energy

=> CZECH version of this press release

Press release dated December 2, 2015 http://calla.cz/index.php?path=hl_stranka/tiskovky/2015&php=tz151202.php

The Czech government intends to actively defend high subsidies for nuclear energy
'''Today the government decided that the Czech Republic will join, as an intervener, two legal actions brought by the state of Austria and the German company Greenpeace Energy eG against the European Commission. The cause of action is the decision from October last year, by which the then leaving commissioners enabled the UK and enterprise EDF to build two blocks of the nuclear power plant Hinkley Point C with the help of guaranteed electricity prices. Plaintiffs do not consider this decision compatible with EU law because it unreasonably interferes with the set of rules of the free market. However, Czech government wants to actively defend the possibility to grant similar public monetary assistance to the investor in nuclear power plants because: “such action is not ruled out in the future” in domestic conditions.'''

If ČEZ drew a similar subsidy to build more nuclear reactors like the project in the UK, that is, with guaranteed minimum prices for next 35 years, then such costs would have a significant impact on electricity consumers, possibly the state budget as well. According to calculations by a consulting company Candole Partners it could be 1 trillion (1012) CZK. However, according to calculations prepared by Friends of the Earth which reflect inflation rates, the amount could be about three times higher.

The study by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany shows that the costs of solar PV power plants will decline by one-third in the next decade and by two-thirds in the long term (by 2050), if compared with 2015. Thus, photovoltaics should become the cheapest source of electricity on the Earth within next ten years. Therefore it will defeat resources such as coal or nuclear power. In the long-term and under such conditions, subsidizing the operation of nuclear reactors appears hopeless.

Edvard Sequens, energy consultant at Calla - Association for Preservation of the Environment, said:''“Wanting to subsidize the operation of new reactors after the nuclear energy has been in commercial operation for more than 60 years, is a foolish idea. Those who will have to pay for this electricity bill or by taxes, highly exceeding today's subsidies for renewables, will definitely not like it.“''

 For more information please contact: 
 * Edvard Sequens, email: [mailto:edvardDOTsequensATcallaDOTcz edvard DOT sequens AT calla DOT cz], tel.: +420 602 282 399

 Annexes: