Czech plans for new nuclear reactor raising concerns across border

Czechia's plans to build a small modular reactor on the premises of its Temelín nuclear power plant are raising concerns across the border in Bavaria and Austria, the Czech News Agency reported on Monday. The local authorities there have complained that Prague did not consult with them on the matter in advance and that they have security concerns. Some residents of Austrian border towns are considering demonstrations and border crossing blockades.

The Czech government announced in September that there are plans for a small modular reactor to be built at Temelín by 2032, in order to strengthen the security and independence of the Czech energy industry, which has been threatened by the war in Ukraine.

A small modular reactor is a nuclear power plant with an electrical output of up to 300 megawatts of electricity. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, these reactors are supposed to be more flexible and safer than standard nuclear reactors.