InduMin backs guaranteed prices for large emission-free sources

Prague, March 13 (CTK) - The Industry and Trade Ministry has proposed setting of guaranteed purchasing prices of electricity for important emission-free sources, both nuclear and renewable ones, the server of weekly Ekonom writes yesterday citing deputy minister Pavel Solc.

Power company CEZ is striving to reach setting of a guaranteed purchasing price for electricity from the new units to be built in nuclear plant Temelin.

The ministry backs the plan but setting of prices for one concrete project could be at variance with EU regulations. Owing to this, the fixed purchasing price could concern also other sources that generate electricity without carbon dioxide emissions.

The guaranteed purchasing prices would not concern solar power plants whose support the ministry criticises, claiming that it is endangering Czech industry.

"New large photovoltaic plants are no more possible with respect to their exclusion from support when built on farmland and no one is thinking about a change to it. But the support can apply, for example, to hydroelectric plants," Solc told CTK.

The whole system is just being considered. The problem of future energy sources will be discussed by ministers of European countries at their talks in the first half of this year, he added.

"More detailed plans will thus be possible to formulate only on the basis of these talks," Solc pointed out.

Solc believes there will be also other solutions how to avert the threat of a shortage of electricity output when coal fired plants and old nuclear plants in Europe are closed in the future.

CEZ is trying to achieve signing of a document called "contract for difference" to be used for the state to set a fixed purchasing price of electricity.

If the market price was lower than the set price, the state would pay the difference to the energy company. If it was higher, CEZ would pay the difference to the state budget.

CEZ drew the inspiration in Great Britain. The British government is currently trying to negotiate in Brussels conditions under which it would be possible to guarantee electricity prices without this being considered as unallowed support to business activities.

However, opponents to the construction of the third and fourth units at Temelin reject the proposal. They argue that this would mean raising of electricity prices for clients.