Press Advisories

15. 9. 201013:54

Massive support for solar power plants to end says government

“The government has approved a draft Act that will amend the Act on the Promotion of Use of Renewable Resources. We have focused on the first phase of steps to prevent a one-off jump in the price of electricity as a consequence of the boom in solar power plants. From 1 March 2011, support for solar power plants located on agricultural land and for speculative so-called “island plants” will end,” said the Prime Minister after the governmental meeting, adding that additional measures will be adopted on a gradual basis.

The high level of support, its guaranteed duration and the right to preferential connection have resulted in great interest in the construction of solar power plants on the part of investors. The number of projects for the construction of solar power plants has exceeded the technical capabilities of the electricity grid as well as the tolerable impact on the price of electricity.

“According to our calculations this will basically mean that solar power plants with outputs of 700 MW will not be connected to the grid. This will save up to CZK 7.8 billion because of the resulting drop in the contribution for these power plants,” added Minister for Industry and Trade Martin Kocourek.

At its session today the government also recalled Michael Kocáb from his function of Human Rights Commissioner, while the Prime Minister is to present the new Commissioner in the coming weeks. Ministers today also discussed and approved an amendment to the Mining Act, which should bring financial savings and the more efficient operation of state administration in this area.

The Cabinet also approved the budget of the State Housing Development Fund for 2011 and approved new members of the science council of the Czech Science Foundation, which will be headed by Professor Tomáš Zíma.

Nečas’s Cabinet also cancelled a resolution of the previous government, which counted on a grant of CZK 490 million for a science library in Ostrava. According to the Prime Minister, such a sum cannot be secured for next year. “In addition, the project was in fact halted by a regional coalition between the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, when it removed this large project from co-financing from structural funds,” said the Prime Minister.