(Adds details on power station, regional context)
By Peter Laca
BRATISLAVA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Slovakia delayed on Tuesday a
decision on restarting a Soviet-era nuclear reactor amid gas
shortages, a move that would have put it on a collision course
with the European Union which is critical of the plan.
Bratislava declared a state of emergency after the flow of
Russian gas stopped last week, which had cut supplies to major
industries and gas-powered electricity facilities.
The government said the Jaslovske Bohunice reactor, viewed
by neighbouring Austria as unsafe, had to be put into operation
again to maintain power supplies.
But Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday Slovakia had
secured back-up generating capacity and possible imports to keep
power running for now.
"Some extraordinary measures were taken last night, which
means we are able to maintain stability of the electricity
system for several more days," Fico told a news conference.
"But, at the same time, I have to say the possibility of
restarting (the nuclear unit) is still very relevant... All
preparatory works have been completed, we are prepared on the
technical level," he said.
Slovakia reluctantly shut down a unit of the Jaslovske
Bohunice power station at the end of last year, meeting an
obligation made to the EU before it joined the bloc in 2004.
The European Commission warned Slovakia not to reopen the
plant, saying the move would prompt legal action from the
European Union's executive arm.
"The decision to reopen temporarily the operations of the
second unit of the nuclear plant is in contradiction with the
obligation of the Slovak Republic following the (EU) accession
treaty," a Commission spokesman told a daily briefing.
"Commission services already started preparations for a
college decision to launch an infringement procedure."
A European court may order fines in such procedures.
Fico had opposed the accession deal, agreed by the previous
centre-right administration his government replaced two years
ago, and has repeatedly said the Bohunice unit meets all safety
standards.
He has, however, taken a lighter approach to restarting the
reactor, compared with statements made over the weekend when he
said the unit would be connected to the grid until gas supplies
were stabilised and gas storages were full again.
The leftist leader said on Tuesday Slovakia wanted to
"minimise damage" that could be caused by restarting the unit.
The gas dispute, which began when Russia and Ukraine could
not agree on the price Ukraine should pay for Russian gas this
year, has intensified calls for alternative energy sources.
Slovakia's southern neighbour, Hungary, has said it needs to
consider whether to build new nuclear power generating capacity.
Bulgaria, among the hardest-hit by the gas supply cuts, also
said it might be forced to restart a nuclear power reactor shut
down in 2006 as part of its EU accession deal if the cut-off in
gas deliveries dragged on.
(Additional reporting by Marcin Grajewski in Brussels and Anna
Mudeva in Sofia, writing by Jan Lopatka and Peter Laca)
