Temelin to be closed down for a week

The Temelin nuclear power plant, which is currently in trial operation, is to be closed down on Wednesday night for further repair work. According to Milan Nebesar, spokesman for the power utility CEZ, the repairs are aimed at further reducing vibrations in the pipes of a turbine and should last no longer than a week. After that the plant's reactor will be re-started. The plant's management has refused to comment on speculation that the plant's commercial launch will have to be delayed by approximately two months due to repeated technical problems. Meanwhile, Austrian anti-nuclear activists see this latest closure as fresh confirmation that the plant has numerous defects and should be closed down for a thorough inspection.