Electricity generated from the Czech Republic’s six
nuclear power plants currently represents about 30% of total
electricity production. This number is up 10% since 2005 due
to investments in nuclear energy infrastructure. Coal remains
the main source of energy and is estimated to cover about
40% of energy consumption as of 2006. A shift to nuclear power
in the 1950s was determined by scarce oil resources and the
influence of former Soviet Union. Soviet designs were used
in construction of both Dukovany, which began operating in
1985 and Temelin (2000) nuclear power plants. Work is underway
to construct a spent fuel storage facility. In its long-term
energy policy, the Czech government pledged to construct two
600MW reactors before 2030 as well as to increase the use
of renewable sources of energy.
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/cnpp2002/index.htm;
http://www.niauk.org
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/reactors.htm; http://www.uic.com.au/nip90.htm
Power Reactors
Operational: 6
Research Reactors
Operational: 3
Shut Down: 0
Decommissioned: 2
Under Construction: 0
Planned: 0
Uranium Mines Active and Proposed
Rozná mine/Dolní Rozí mill
Brzkov deposit
Highly Enriched Uranium: 0.08- 0.14 tons
(end of 2003)
Supplier- Russia
Radioactive waste disposal Low-level waste: In 1993, the former Czechoslovak
Bohunice plant (currently Slovakia) ceased to accept spent
fuel from the Dukovany plant. The same year, Russia decided
it would only accept Czech's spent fuel for reprocessing and
not disposal. A new interim storage facility will be constructed
at the Dukovany site. The existing facility has a capacity
of 600 tons, and the overall capacity should be sufficient
to store all the spent fuel produced during the lifetime of
the plant.
Intermediate-level waste: Dukovany operates an intermediate-level
waste repository.
High-level waste: Nuclear Research Institute is overseeing
planning for a deep geological repository project to be operational
in 2035. Several localities have been suggested to house both
an underground repository and an underground laboratory; none
of them has been selected yet.
3.
Nuclear Activities and Cooperation
Nuclear Research Centers
National Radiation Protection Institute
Nuclear Research Institute Rez
National Institute for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection
Research Institute of Fuel and Energy Complex
Energoprojekt Praha, a.s.
Skoda - UJP Praha, a.s.
Nuclear Physics Institute (Academy of Sciences)
Institute of Plasma Physics
Nuclear Cooperation US: Westinghouse company contracted to upgrade and
complete two VVER-1000 units at Temelin, as well as supply
a plant information system to integrate maintenance, materials,
documentation, management and operations support for 13 Czech
nuclear and fossil-fueled power plants. The company also provides
fuel for the Temelin plant; fuel is manufactured in the United
States, with Czech Skoda Plezn participating in fuel testing
and development.
Russia: Russian company Mashinostroyitelniy Zavod
Electrosta supplies fuel for Dukovany plant. The Czech-Russian
agreement (1994) allows Russia to compete for contracts to
supply enriched uranium and fabricated fuel for Czech nuclear
power plants. Russia also initially supplied uranium for the
Temelin plant.
UK: Enrichment and conversion services were provided
by the United Kingdom.
Germany: Shut down VVER plant; supplied fresh fuel
for the Dukovany plant.
Canada: Starting in 1998, Cameco Corp. supplies uranium
hexafluoride, produced at Cameco's facilities in Ontario to
Czech Republic.
USAID and US Energy Association Partnership Program:
Czech utility CEZ is paired with Houston Lighting & Power
Co to exchange technical and economic information.
European Union: The Czech Republic is part of the
EU's PHARE nuclear safety program, providing funding to update
nuclear regulations and improve safety, as well as improve
fuel cycle and waste management activities, and off-site emergency
preparedness.
In December 2006, the EU agriculture ministers extended the
energy crop premium introduced by the 2003 Common Agricultural
Policy reform, to the new Member States which currently do
not benefit from it. The decision will give farmers in the
Czech Republic, one of six countries, the chance to receive
€45 per hectare for growing energy crops.
4.
International Nonproliferation Efforts
Treaties Signed and Ratified, Date of Deposit
Antarctic Treaty, 1 January 1993
APM Convention, 26 October 1999
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, 5 April 1993
Certain Conventional Weapons Convention, 22 February 1993
Chemical Weapons Convention, 6 March 1996
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, 11 September 1997
Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material,
24 March 1993
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 9 April 1993
Outer Space Treaty, 29 September 1993
Seabed Treaty, 9 April 1993
Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, 24
June 1994
Czech Republic ratified the IAEA Additional Protocol on 8
Sept 2000.
Multilateral Groups
Australia Group
Hague Code of Conduct
Missile Technology Control Regime
Nuclear Suppliers Group
Proliferation Security Initiative, PSI
Wassenaar Arrangement
Zangger Committee
5.
Positions Taken in International Fora on Various Issues of
Nuclear Disarmament
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation: "It was
very unfortunate that the UN Summit last year was not able
to find a common language on disarmament and non-proliferation.
The uncontrolled spread, illicit trafficking and the use of
conventional arms against civil population, the deadly occurrence
of landmines - this all continues to fuel conflicts, human
suffering and insecurity around the globe. My country supports
all efforts, as well as several programs, to bring the arms
trade and use of arms under a stronger control. But there
is an even greater threat - a possible proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction. We welcome the fact that the Security
Council is increasingly engaged in these matters, the resolution
1540 being a major step forward, followed most recently by
strong signals addressed to the DPRK and Iran. Both these
countries should fully comply with the nuclear non-proliferation
regimes and to abandon any ambitions going beyond the peaceful
use of nuclear power." - Statement by H.E. Mr.
Alexandr VONDRA at the 61st Session of the General Assembly,
September 27, 2006.http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com06/disarmindex06.html#czech
