Protest at Czech nuclear power plant

The Temelin plant has caused friction between the Czech Republic and Austria

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Environmental campaigners have staged a protest at the controversial Temelin nuclear power plant, blocking its main entrance.

A group of around 30 demonstrators occupied the main entrance of the plant for just over an hour, shortly after the International Atomic Energy Agency began a safety inspection, the CTK news agency said.

The group was protesting about technical problems that have beset the Soviet-designed facility recently. The blockade ended without incident.

Temelin has been the focus of a diplomatic row between the Czech Republic and its fiercely anti-nuclear neighbour, Austria.

Vienna says the station -- built some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Austrian border -- is unsafe.

It has threatened to block Prague's bid to join the European Union unless its demands for full safety inspections are met.

But Prague insists the plant, which has been upgraded with western control systems, is safe.

In December, Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel agreed another safety inspection would be carried out.

The IAEA mission -- with experts from many countries including the U.S., France, Britain, Germany and Russia -- is expected to finish its inspection on March 1.

The Temelin plant began operating in October but a number of incidents since then have heightened concerns.

Most recently, testing operations were stopped in mid-January over a problem with steam pipes in the plant's secondary, non-nuclear circuit.

Plant owner CEZ (CEZP.PR) has said it hopes to renew testing on February 20 once the problem is repaired.

Temelin has one operating 981-megawatt reactor and one under construction.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Temelin Nuclear Power Plant
International Atomic energy Agency
Czech Republic

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