BERLIN, July 15 (Reuters) – Conservative German politicians have revived the debate over extending the useful life of the country’s three remaining nuclear power plants, and polls show increased public support for the energy source of a possible cut in Russian nuclear power. gas.
But an extension is very sensitive for the ruling party of the Greens of Germany, which emerged from the anti-nuclear movement of the 1970s.
Germany’s three remaining nuclear power plants are expected to close by the end of the year after former Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to stop the use of nuclear power following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
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The plants accounted for 6% of Germany’s electricity production in the first quarter of 2022.
The debate over keeping the plants running began after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24 and prompted Germany to decide to end its heavy dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
Experts from Germany’s environment and economy ministries said in March that they did not recommend extending plant life, citing legal, licensing and insurance challenges, the need for extensive and possibly costly security controls, and the lack of fuel rods to keep plants running.
An extension would not help the country’s electricity production next winter, they found, and the necessary investment and effort would only be justified if the plant’s operation were extended for at least another five years until 2028.
But the fall in Russian gas supply to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which prompted the government to reconnect coal-fired power plants to the reserve on the grid and the possibility of a prolonged power outage after routine maintenance to be completed by On July 21 it has emboldened pro-nuclear voices in Germany and Europe.
The European Union will publish next week recommendations on how countries can reduce gas demand to prepare for winter.
A draft of the recommendations, seen by Reuters, said one option would be to postpone shutdown of nuclear power plants or switch from gas to nuclear generation whenever possible.
Last month, a survey of RTL / ntv stations showed that 68% of Germans were in favor of reconsidering the country’s nuclear output. Prior to the start of the war in Ukraine, a ZDF survey had found that only 40% of Germans supported extending the useful life of nuclear power plants.
But Germany’s environment and economy ministries, both led by the Greens, said this week that their March assessment was still valid and that they had not reconsidered their position in light of security concerns. of gas supply.
‘ANTI-NUCLEAR PARTY’
Conservative opposition politicians CDU / CSU blame the Greens for the government’s resistance to changing its position on the issue, saying it was purely ideological, citing the Greens’ roots in the anti-nuclear movement of the 1970s.
“The Greens prefer to rely on coal-fired power plants that harm the climate … Inside, they are an anti-nuclear party,” CDU general secretary Mario Czaja said.
Czaja said the government could get fuel rods from Australia and Canada to keep the plants running, adding that he hoped Economy Minister Robert Habeck would “move away from ideology”.
In response to the government’s nuclear safety concerns, TUEV, a major provider of industrial testing and certifications, said it was possible to continue operating the remaining three nuclear power plants from a safety standpoint.
“The plants are in a technically excellent condition,” Joachim Buehler, director general of TUEV, told Reuters, adding that a thorough check was needed, which is usually done every 10 years, but could be done in a few months.
Calls to examine all energy options, including nuclear, are also on the rise within the ruling coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Liberal Democrats (FDP).
Michael Kruse, spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group’s energy policy, said reducing gas supplies for heating in winter could cause consumers to use more electric heating and, in turn, create energy shortages. .
“This issue is very delicate for some parties, but the Russian aggression against Ukraine must convince all politicians to consider this issue without ideology and in a new way,” Kruse told Reuters.
The Greens still see nuclear power as a risky technology, party deputy parliamentary group leader Julia Verlinden said, citing the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters.
“Nuclear power is expensive, inflexible and causes radioactive waste for which there is no deposit yet,” Verlinden told Reuters.
Timon Gremmels, SPD’s energy policy coordinator, does not expect the government to change its position on the issue if the Nord Stream 1 pipeline starts after maintenance, but said nothing could be ruled out in the current situation .
Given the history of the Greens, crossing the nuclear red line will be difficult, Gremmels told Reuters.
“Habeck is demanding a lot from his party with fracking gas, a longer term for coal. If he now also carries nuclear power, the patience of much of the Greens will be exhausted.”
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Report by Riham Alkousaa and Andreas Rinke Additional report by Kate Abnett in Brussels; edited by Barbara Lewis
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