PRAGUE, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic"s new centre-right government will seek to lay the ground for a possible phasing out of coal by 2033, it said on Friday when it released its programme, while also supporting nuclear power as part of its energy future. The five-party government, in power since mid-December, laid out its priorities across a range of subjects, including energy. "We will create conditions for an energy transformation and the development of coal regions so that a shift from coal will be possible by 2033," the programme said. The previous government had not set a date for the coal exit although a state advisory council had recommended 2038. In 2020, the central European country generated 43% of its electricity from coal and 37% from nuclear power plants, according to Energy Regulatory Office data. It has sought to boost nuclear power and has plans for launching a tender this year for a multi-billion dollar unit at majority state-owned CEZ"s (CEZP.PR) Dukovany plant. In the government programme, it said it would support nuclear power development, including the new Dukovany unit as long as "Russian or Chinese firms will not build it". That follows the previous cabinet"s policy after it last year excluded the two countries on security grounds. The new government said it would prepare ground for future decisions on other nuclear power units. The Czech Republic had pushed for nuclear power and gas to be included in the European Union"s hotly-debated green investment plan, whose proposed rules were circulated on the last day of 2021. While the country welcomed both energy sources" inclusion, government and energy officials have criticised the conditions attached. Industry Minister Jozef Sikela said on Twitter on Jan. 3 the country would seek out allies to negotiate better conditions before the European Commission adopts a final text. read more
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