Jun 14 - Datamonitor

The chairwoman of the Czech Republic's nuclear safety body has told a conference that more investment in the fuel is required to meet the country's burgeoning demand for power.

Datamonitor calculates that at present 31% of the Czech Republic's energy is generated by the six nuclear reactors in operation in the country.

Dana Drabova, chair of the State Authority for Nuclear Safety, says that further investment in the technology is required not because it provides the ultimate long-term solution to Czech energy needs, but because it buys greater time to cater for projected increases in demand as fossil fuels run out.

"A time will come when reserves of fossil fuels will be exhausted as well, and in the end there will be nothing else than renewable energy sources. However, we have no technologies for their effective use. I therefore claim that nuclear energy gives us time," Ms Drabova said in comments reported by the CTK news agency.