Concern about plans for new nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic

Plans to build a nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic near the border have met with rejection in Saxony. However, the Greens are missing a clear statement from the state government. It appears to see itself "only as an interested observer", criticized Thomas Löser, energy policy spokesperson for the state parliamentary group. Clear statements on the risks are needed. "A nuclear power plant on our doorstep is not an exciting experiment, but a significant risk factor for people and nature."

In May, the Czech Republic announced plans for a so-called SMR nuclear power plant. SMR stands for Small Modular Reactor. These are nuclear reactors with a reduced electrical output that can be operated individually or in a combination of several units. Construction at the site in Tušimice near Chomutov is scheduled to begin in 2034.

Climate alliance: SMR technology is not mature

The topic caused a controversial debate in the state parliament in June. Representatives of the Greens, the Left and the SPD spoke out strongly against the project, while the AfD came out as a supporter of nuclear power and would also like to build nuclear power plants in Saxony. The CDU warned against alarmism. According to current plans, the Tušimice nuclear power plant around 16 kilometers from the border will not supply electricity until 2038.

The Climate Alliance Chemnitz and Surroundings rejects the project in a letter to the Czech Ministry of the Environment. Environmental and safety concerns are raised, and reference is made to possible accidents, the unresolved issue of final storage of nuclear waste and other environmental hazards. The alliance is backed by regional groups of Parents for Future, BUND and Greenpeace.

"As things stand at present, SMR technology is not fully developed and is susceptible to malfunctions," the letter states. A nuclear accident would have serious consequences for the environment, nature and people's quality of life in a large radius. "Towns like Annaberg-Buchholz, Marienberg, Seiffen and Olbernhau would become uninhabitable if a catastrophe like Chernobyl were to occur, the death zone would reach almost as far as Chemnitz."