July 4, 2008: Premier: Energy is Today’s Global Problem

Support for the promotion of competitiveness on the energy markets, support for energy savings and description of nuclear energy as one of the acceptable options of electricity generation. Those are the main recommendations to the Government made by an Independent Energy Commission, headed by Václav Pa?es, President of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. Having taken over the commission’s recommendations, Premier Mirek Topolánek has said he will now have them examined by an external examining group. After that the Government will be acquainted with the results. “Energy is a global issue of the world today. We have to respond to that with our energy policy. An independent specialized commission was established precisely because we needed a professional analysis of the Czech Republic’s future energy needs, independent of politics and any ideology,“ Premier Mirek Topolánek was quoted as saying at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.

According to the Prime Minister, energy has recently been too much affected by politics, ideological prejudices and political wishful thinking. “I am convinced that we have to introduce a specialized opinion into what is - on many occasions - an irrational debate. No single ideology has ever lit up a bulb, started heating or warmed up a lunch,“ emphasized the Premier.

Recommendations of the Independent Energy Commission

The Independent Energy Commission has recommended to the Government active support for any measure conducive to promoting competition on the energy markets. The Government has also be advised to enable and facilitate start of evaluating processes for the generation of all types of energy. According to the commission, the importance of brown coal will be declining in a long-term horizon, nevertheless it will still represent a major energy source. Furthermore, the Government should not restrict business decisions in this sector and should allow discussion on mining limits under clearly defined rules. The Government should also view support for processes leading to energy savings as its priority and an exceptionally significant component of shaping a long-term energy strategy.

Nuclear energy represents one of the options for electricity generation, constituting a major part of the energy mix. In the commission’s opinion, the Government should perceive renewable sources as an indisputable constituent of the future fuel-energy mix.

The Government should also use the transit electricity transmission network for promoting the positions of the Czech Republic on the energy market, and reconsider the energy and related legislation of the Czech Republic and the European Union in a bid to prevent preferential solutions of partial energy tasks at the detriment of major energy needs of the society, namely the stability of different branches, including the energy transmission sector.

Members of the External Examining Commission

The report will now be submitted to the Government. Moreover, an External Examining Commission, made up of the following experts: Ing. Pavel Stehlík, Ing. Petr Kalaš, Ing. Miroslav Vrba, Ing. Milan Kajman, Professor Dr. František Janouch, will also start its work. That commission will then report its conclusions to the Government. “Only after the Government has been acquainted with the report of the Independent Energy Commission and the recommendations of the External Examining Group, will the cabinet get down to dealing with the elaboration and adoption of a new energy strategy,“ added the Premier.