The Czech government will base its decision about whether to complete the Temelin nuclear power plant on the results of a study by a group of independent experts, Reuters reports.
The commission will study the project between September and November, independently of the Czech electricity company CEZ, blamed by the country’s prime minister for massive cost overruns at Temelin.
Construction of the Soviet designed plant began in the mid 1980s. Costs escalated dramatically, and are now put at around $3 billion. In 1992, CEZ carried out a study which indicated that the plant would not break even.
The Czech prime minister indicated that he believes the project has proceeded too far to be abandoned now. However, completion is fiercely opposed by neighbouring Austria.