the first block of the controversial temelin nuclear power station in the czech republic was shut down saturday owing to a pump malfunction in the plant)s non-nuclear section, dpa reported. repairs will last several days, said spokesman milan nebesar. five years after trial runs began at the site, the facility was finally approved friday, municipal authorities in the south bohemian town of ceske budejovice (budweis) had said friday. opponents of the plant, especially in neighbouring germany and austria, said friday they would fight the decision. more than 70 technical incidents at temelin in recent years showed the reactor was not safe, an employee with environmentalist organization greenpeace said in prague. a spokesman for temelin opponents in neighbouring austria called it a 'mockery' that the plant had been licensed. 'to shove aside the objections of anti-nuclear organizations is tantamount to mockery,' the spokesman said. austria)s environment ministry has announced further talks with the czech republic on the controversial power plant, which is just 60 kilometres from the austrian border. on thursday, the state operator of the plant, cez, admitted there were technical problems at the facility. repair work on a turbine had forced the closure of the second production unit until the middle of january 2006, the company said. --spa 23:58 local time 20:58 gmt nnnn
