CR won´t block electricity overflows from Germany --Necas

Czech grid is overloaded by these flows in particular when the output of wind farms in northern Germany is high. In such cases, there is a danger of blackout for the Czech grid, Necas said.

"We have decided to take the path of strengthening our transmission networks. We want a single energy market to be created in Europe. Moreover, we would see it as a very short-sighted measure," Necas told Czech journalists on the reasons for not blocking power overflows from Germany.

Grid operator CEPS CEO Vladimir Tosovsky talked about such possibility one month ago. Poland is already preparing such transformers.

Necas said that the Czech Republic was getting ready to invest EUR2bn (Kc50bn) into the strengthening of its grid in the coming years.

"However, we at the same time expect Germany to solve the problem of the weak electricity transmission capacity between the north and south of Germany primarily on its own territory and not at the expense of the Czech grid," he pointed out.

Necas also expects principles of fees to be worked out in cross-border electricity transmission within the process of building the single energy market in Europe.

Martin Roman, former CEO of energy concern CEZ, said last year that Germany should pay to the Czech Republic for the transfer of its electricity via the Czech territory up to Kc7bn annually.

Blocking systems are not the path Europe should take, Guenther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, backed the Czech Republic´s stance today.

Oettinger as well as Necas took part in an energy conference organised by the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) of Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

At a joint press conference with Necas, Oettinger spoke in favour of further interconnection of European electricity transmission networks and intensification of European cooperation in the energy sector.

Necas on this occasion announced he got a positive answer to a letter he addressed to Merkel in November, proposing holding of public discussions in Germany on the Czech plan to build a further two units at nuclear power plant Temelin by 2025. There is a lot of disapproval in Bavaria concerning the plan.

"We expect that basic outlines of these public debates will be drawn up in the coming weeks in cooperation of the Czech and German Environment Ministries," Necas added.

The same discussions attended by Czech experts are to be held also in Austria.

Germany decided last year to abandon electricity production in nuclear power plants by 2022 and replace them with bigger use of traditional power plants and renewable sources.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz