Merkel: Germany's "Exit from Nuclear Energy" Strategy Remains Unchanged

Will Europe Build a New Batch of Nuclear Power Plants? Commission President von der Leyen supports it, while German Chancellor Merkel opposes it. Despite the energy price surge caused by the Iran war, Merkel believes that Germany returning to nuclear energy would not gain majority support.

At the beginning of this week, Commission President von der Leyen stated that some EU countries exiting nuclear energy was a "strategic mistake." She announced she would provide relevant funding support.

Von der Leyen comes from Germany. Her father Ernst Albrecht served as the Minister-President of Lower Saxony in the 1970s and was an advocate for nuclear energy.

However, Albrecht failed to realize his plan to build a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste in the eastern part of the state. The small village of Gorleben was originally intended to be the location for the final disposal of nuclear waste but became a symbol of the youth movement opposing nuclear energy.

The last nuclear power plant in Germany shut down in 2023

Now, von der Leyen's call for a return to nuclear energy has received mixed reactions in Germany, with considerable opposition. Since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan 15 years ago, Germany announced its exit from nuclear energy. In 2023, the last nuclear power plant ceased operation. In 1961, Germany had 37 nuclear reactors, providing up to 30% of the electricity.

After exiting nuclear energy, Germany has experienced several related debates, such as the oil supply shortages after the Ukraine war. However, these debates usually did not last long.

Merkel: The Decision to Exit Nuclear Energy Cannot Be Changed

German Chancellor Merkel (CDU) now states that the decision made by previous German governments to exit nuclear energy cannot be changed. She added, "Although regrettable, the fact is that we are now focusing on the current energy policy."

Merkel clearly knows that if he wants to return to nuclear energy, his coalition party (CDU/CSU) must cooperate with parts of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), but cooperation with this party is out of the question for him.

The coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has clearly rejected von der Leyen's proposal. Environment Minister Schneider stated that the decades of operating nuclear energy have cost taxpayers billions in taxes. There are now better alternative energy sources available.

Schneider also refuted Brussels' plans to focus on developing small modular reactors (SMRs) in the future. "These small nuclear power plants have been announced for decades, but have never achieved breakthroughs, instead struggling for subsidies," he said.

The CEO of Germany's largest power supplier, RWE, Krebber (Markus Krebber), also rejected the idea of small nuclear reactors. "For private companies, investing in SMRs is currently not feasible," he told the news website Politico. He said that there is currently no supplier worldwide who can guarantee the schedule and agree on costs in advance. This RWE CEO thus indicated that the business sector will not invest in small nuclear reactors.

Germany's Exit from Nuclear Energy: A Bumpy Road

Differently from Germany, some EU countries are indeed considering expanding nuclear energy. France is at the forefront, still operating 57 nuclear reactors. France has formed a 15-nation EU alliance aimed at promoting new nuclear power plants, including Sweden and Italy. Germany, Spain, and Austria have decided to exit nuclear energy.

In Germany, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 already triggered reflections on nuclear energy. The Green Party, founded in West Germany in the 1980s, firmly opposes nuclear energy.

After the Green Party joined forces with the SPD to govern, they successfully established a gradual exit from nuclear energy in 2002. However, when the CDU and FDP came to power, they overturned this decision, extending the operating period of Germany's nuclear reactors.

Then, in March 2011, following the nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, the situation reversed again. Then-Prime Minister Merkel personally pushed for the exit from nuclear energy. This decision made by the German government has remained in place until today.

Source: DW

Original: toutiao.com/article/1859668062588928/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.