(Writes through with new quote, background, paragraphs 10-17)
By Peter Laca
BRATISLAVA, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Slovakia will restart a
nuclear power plant unit it shut down at end-2008 to comply with
its EU accession agreement because cuts in Russian gas supplies
threaten to cause power blackouts, officials said on Saturday.
Bratislava declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after the
flow of Russian gas stopped, and the government said the 440 MW
unit at the older nuclear power plant, Jaslovske Bohunice, had
to be put into operation again to maintain the stability of the
entire electricity grid.
"We are aware that this is a violation of the accession
agreement, but this is happening at a time of crisis," Prime
Minister Robert Fico told a news conference after the government
made the decision at an extraordinary meeting.
"Damage from violation of the accession agreement is smaller
than damage that would be caused by a collapse of the
electricity system."
Fico said the unit should resume power production in less
than six days, and would remain in operation until Slovakia had
guarantees of "absolute stability" in gas supplies.
Under the state of emergency, the gas firm SPP, run by GDF
Suez <GSZ.PA> and E.ON <EONGn.DE>, is reducing gas deliveries to
large customers with annual consumption exceeding 60,000 cubic
metres to a "safe minimum". It is maintaining full gas supplies
to households, hospitals and schools from its reserves.
Gas-powered electricity generation is also affected by gas
supply restrictions, which threaten the stability of the power
grid, the cabinet has said.
"Few people are aware that we are close to a blackout,"
Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek told the same news conference.
"Only a small malfunction ... and a blackout will affect a large
part of Slovakia."
The EU accession agreement, setting terms for Slovakia's
entry to the bloc in 2004, forced Bratislava to close another
unit at the Soviet-designed Bohunice plant in 2006.
Leftist leader Fico had opposed the accession deal, agreed
by the centre-right administration his government replaced two
years ago, and reiterated on Saturday that the Bohunice facility
met all safety standards.
"This unit was, and still is monitored by all major
international institutions (active) in this area, and the reason
for its closure was political," he said.
The gas dispute, which began when Russia and Ukraine could
not agree on 2009 prices, has led to the worst ever disruption
of Russian gas supplies to Europe and intensified calls for
alternative energy sources.
The continent relies on Russia for a quarter of its
supplies, and eighty percent of Russian gas to Europe is piped
through Ukraine. Pipelines running through Slovakia move around
20 percent of EU gas consumption.
Slovakia's southern neighbour, Hungary, which relies on
Russia for around 70 percent of its gas, has also said it needs
to consider whether to build new nuclear power generating
capacity.
Fico said on Saturday he had informed European Commission
President Jose Manuel Barroso and other EU members of Slovakia's
intention to reconnect Bohunice to the grid.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has said it
will consider the matter if Slovakia wants to restart the
Bohunice unit.
(Editing by Tim Pearce)
