A few days before the shutdown of the last three nuclear power plants in Germany, environmental groups in Bavaria criticize the CSU, FDP and Free Voters. These common untruths about nuclear energy. Richard Mergner, chairman of the Bund Naturschutz (BN) in Bavaria, said on Wednesday that nuclear energy is dangerous and expensive. The party leaders of the CSU, Free Voters and FDP in Bavaria would have to accept the end of the nuclear age. Germany can produce sufficient and cheap electricity from renewable energies. Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and his deputy Hubert Aiwanger (free voters) want to visit the Isar 2 nuclear power plant on Thursday, both of whom had recently spoken out vehemently for continued operation.
However, phasing out nuclear power is the right step, said Heinz Smital, a nuclear physicist and expert at Greenpeace. Nuclear power hinders the expansion of renewable energies, for example because it ties up financial resources. And to claim that the Isar 2 power plant is the safest in the world is “electoral noise”. In view of the impending shutdown, there was no longer a major security check. Such a system would also be necessary if a reactor is to be started up again after it has been switched off, and that would be very time-consuming. In addition, new fuel elements would have to be procured.
Debates about a reserve operation or a restart of the nuclear power plants do not make sense. Due to their high water requirements, they are not a reliable source of energy, especially in times of climate change and increasing drought, said Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) in Berlin. And further: “The share of nuclear power in electricity generation is negligible at less than five percent. We can do without that.” On Saturday, BN and Greenpeace are holding a “switch-off party” on Odeonsplatz in Munich. According to a spokesman, they expect 1,000 to 5,000 participants from the anti-nuclear movement.