Czech Nuclear Plant Malfunctions Again

Aug 13 - United Press International

A reactor at the Czech Republic's Temelin nuclear power plant has been closed down due to a malfunction in a generator, the Pravo newspaper reported Friday.

Officials at the plant said the reactor could be restarted Saturday. The Temelin nuclear plant was originally constructed according to a Soviet design in the communist era.

Temelin has suffered numerous problems in recent years but there have been no serious incidents threatening leakage of radioactive material.

Nevertheless, non-nuclear Austria, which borders the Czech Republic around 35 miles south of the Temelin plant, has launched frequent protests and has called for the plant to be closed down.

The Czech Republic says it has no intention of yielding to such demands.

Temelin has two 1,000-megawatt reactors. The plant's owner, Cez, is the second largest electricity exporter in Europe.

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