Citizens in the Erzgebirge: Voice now against the planned nuclear power plant!

Citizens in the Erzgebirge: Voice now against the planned nuclear power plant!

Tušimice, Tschechien - The planned construction of a small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power plant in Tušimice, the Czech Republic, causes discussions about environmental impact and security risks. The Erzgebirge district association of Bündnis 90/The Greens calls the citizens in the Erzgebirge district to express their opinions and concerns about the project. This includes the construction of three nuclear power plant blocks, each have an output of 470 megawatts. The first construction phases of the system, which are designed by Rolls-Royce SMR and implemented by the ČEZ energy supplier, should begin between 2034 and 2038.

With the official notification of the cross -border environmental impact assessment (RRP) on May 7, 2025 by the Czech Ministry of the Environment to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Security (BMUKN), a formal process was initiated. This notification was carried out in accordance with Article 3 of the Espoo Convention and illustrates the international dimension of the project. Affected people in Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria have the opportunity until June 13, 2025 to give their statements about the possible environmental impacts.

participation of the public in the discussion

The Greens district association encourages citizens to actively participate in the discussion in order to use the risks of SMR technology. Dr. Ruben Ramirez Cutino, a spokesman for the party, expresses concerns about the security risks and the accident potential that are associated with this technology. He also speaks for more sustainable alternatives such as renewable energies, which are generally cheaper and faster.

Another voice from the district association, the spokeswoman Heike Schoen, warns that the central challenge is not only the construction, but above all the sustainable solution for the disposal of the burned fuel. In addition, the decentralized distribution of nuclear power plants is viewed critically because it could bring additional security risks.

Scoping phase of the environmental impact assessment

The process is currently in the scoping phase, which serves as a preliminary procedure. The BMUKN has informed the state ministries about the planned cross -border RRP and asked the interest in the participation. This is the first of several official communications published as part of international procedures. Further information on the specific aspects of the project and the reviews made by the nature conservation authority are included in the accompanying documents for notification.

The discussion about the construction of the SMR in Tušimice is part of a larger topic that also affects other planned nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic, such as the project at the Temelín location. In this context, the BMUV was informed in November 2024 about a cross-border MSRP for a new SMR system that could probably achieve a net performance of up to 500 megawatts.

With the citizen participation required by Bündnis 90/The Greens, a transparent assessment of the environmental impact and security risks is to be achieved. Citizens can send their statements to the Czech Environmental Authority both by email and by post. It remains to be seen how public opinion will influence the further steps in the construction of the nuclear power plant in Tušimice.

For current information on the procedures and statements, the official communications and documents on the websites of the BMUV and other responsible bodies can be viewed. Further details can be found in the following messages: href = "https://www.bmuv.de/melde/grenzueberschreitendende-mulstreitheitheitkeit-zum-neubau-weba-mit-smr-in-tusimice -chechien"> BMU informs about the notification and BMU to Temelín .