Europe encompasses the whole spectrum of opinions when it comes to nuclear power. This is well illustrated by the row between anti-nuclear groups in Austria, where opposition to atomic energy is enshrined in law, and champions of nuclear power in the neighbouring Czech Republic. According to the Prague Post,  Czech nuclear enthusiasts have set up the Start Zwentendorf advocacy group to counter (and satirise) the efforts of the Stop Temelín anti-nuclear pressure group in Austria. Zwentendorf, Austria’s only nuclear plant, was built in 1978 but has never been used to generate power as a public referendum that year decided not to launch the reactor and to rule out further nuclear development. Temelín, meanwhile, is the Czech Republic’s biggest nuclear power plant and has become the focus of protests by Austrian anti-nuclear activists, including border-crossing blockades.

July 2nd, 2007 in Nuclear power | Permalink