Status: 09/09/2022 12:33 p.m
With long breaks, the construction of the new reactor at Slovakia’s Mochovce nuclear power plant took 35 years. The project suffered from mismanagement and neighboring Austria in particular had fundamental concerns. Now the kiln went into operation.
Slovakia has put the controversial third reactor of the Mochovce nuclear power plant into operation. Government officials were present the night the first fuel rods were introduced. “We’ve been waiting for this for many years,” said Conservative Prime Minister Eduard Heger.
“Slovakia is progressing from 52 to 65 percent of nuclear energy in electricity production.” Slovakia is now self-sufficient in its electricity production and can also export electricity to neighboring European countries.
Reactor with a long history
The kiln was particularly controversial in neighboring Austria. It is about 110 kilometers from the border and 150 kilometers from Vienna. The construction of the block had already started in 1987, but the work was then interrupted until 2008. After that, the completion was postponed several times. There was talk of a lack of money and management problems – and of problems with supervision and doubts about safety.
Most recently, the objections of the Austrian environmental protection organization Global 2000 had delayed the granting of the operating license.