Temelín Nuclear Power Station (, abbreviation ETE) is a nuclear power plant in Temelín in the Czech Republic. Temelín NPP is owned by ČEZ Group, which employs 1000 workers at this site. The adjacent castle Vysoký Hrádek serves as an information centre.
In spring 2003, the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant, with its 2,180 MW of installed capacity, became the largest power resource in the Czech Republic and the largest source of zero emission electricity generation by far.
History
Planning began in the late 1970s and the final project was submitted in 1985. Construction of four operating units began in 1987. The project was expected to be completed in 1991 with estimated building costs of 35 billion CSK. Six villages were demolished by the then-Communist government to make way for the power station.
After the Velvet revolution in 1990 the Czechoslovakian government decided to cease construction of the third and fourth reactors. Work continued on the first two reactors; in the 1990s alterations to the original design were made by Westinghouse in conjunction with SUJB and the IAEA to bring reliability and safety levels into conformance with Western European standards. The standards audit was carried out by Halliburton NUS. As part of the alterations information and control systems were added, electrical modifications carried out, and cabling, reactor core and fuel elements were replaced. In 1993 the Czech government decided to complete the plant in the face of delays and cost overruns, with expected completion at the time estimated for 1997. In 1994 an opinion poll reported that 68% of Czech citizens were in favor of nuclear power development.
In 1998 construction was not completed and costs reached 71 CZK billion. The Czech government again reconsidered completion of the plant. In 1999 the decision was made to continue, hoping for an expected completion in 2000 with a maximum cost of 98.6 CZK billion. The project was controversial; national and international (mainly Austrian) opposition was stronger than in the early 1990s. In a 1999 opinion poll 47% of Czech citizens were in favor and 53% against nuclear power development, a fall from 1994. In subsequent years the same poll showed change to 63% in favor and 37% against in 2000 with 58% in favor and 42% against in 2001, indicating fluctuation of opinion.
In September and October 2000, Austrian anti-nuclear protesters demonstrated against the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant and at one stage temporarily blocked all 26 border crossings between Austria and the Czech Republic.
As a result of cost overruns, political changes and design changes to the plant, Reactor 1 began commercial operations in June 2002, and Reactor 2 on april 18th, 2003. As of 2023, the two reactors have produced 272 TWh, or 272.000.000.000 kWh of electricity, with no CO2 emissions. Assuming a price level of CZK 2 per kWh, this amounts to 544 Billion CZK. As the initial investment is CZK 100 billion, the plant turns a profit. In 2022 alone, the operators of the plant earned CZK 80 billion, as a result of the Russian invasion and the resulting energy crisis.
The Czech government is actively pursuing expansion of nuclear capacity. "Energy policy in the Czech Republic is guided by the State Energy Policy (SEP), the latest one dating to 2015. Key targets are to reduce energy consumption, improve the energy intensity of the economy and to expand nuclear power by about 2 500 MW by around 2035."
Melk Protocol
The Melk Protocol, signed on 12 December 2000 in Melk, Lower Austria, is the result of negotiations between the Czech and Austrian Governments, led by Czech Prime Minister Miloš Zeman and Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, with the participation of European Commissioner Günter Verheugen. The aim of the protocol was to resolve disputes over the Temelín plant. Austria raised several concerns about the safety and procedures. The Czech Republic committed itself to some above-standard procedures (e.g., notification of events at Temelín to Austria, and a more stringent environmental impact assessment). Consequently, Austria recognised the importance of EU enlargement and agreed that the free movement of goods and people must be preserved (this clause was a response to the blockade of Czech-Austrian border crossings by Austrian anti-nuclear activists). The protocol is not legally binding.