Debate on nuclear energy: coalition argues about nuclear power plant term

Should nuclear power plants remain connected to the grid for reasons of energy security? Finance Minister Lindner calls for an “ideology-free” examination of a term extension. This is not an option for the Greens and Chancellor Scholz.

Three nuclear power plants are still in use in Germany. They should go offline by the end of the year. In the discussion about energy security, a lifetime extension is now increasingly being debated. CDU leader Friedrich Merz spoke out in favor of this at the Industry Day in Berlin. “We should definitely consider letting the three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany run longer,” he said. “We have known since the last few days at the latest that this is both technically possible and legally justifiable.” In addition, it is important to supply Germany with sufficient energy.

FDP for examination of the term extension

Since Russia has throttled its gas supplies, there have been corresponding calls for extended nuclear power plant operating times. You also come from the FDP. According to the Federal Minister of Finance and FDP leader Christian Lindner, it is not just about a winter that has to be bridged. At Industry Day, Lindner made it clear that it was more about three to five years of securing the energy supply and the shortage of gas.

The construction of liquid gas terminals will not help either. “Another number of LNG terminals – even if they were to be built quickly – will not eliminate this shortage. And that’s why I’m in favor of an open, non-ideological debate about whether we should also temporarily preserve the nuclear capacities in our country,” said Lindner.

Green ministries against running time extension

For Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck and Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, extending the term is not an option. The ministries of the two green politicians had a term extension checked in March. According to the report, the contribution to the energy supply is rather small. In contrast, the economic, legal and security risks are high. An extension of the term is therefore not recommended.

The energy expert Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for Economic Research also emphasized in the ARDthat it is not easy to let the nuclear power plants run longer. “In fact, the Atomic Energy Act would have to be changed for this. You can’t do that on such short notice,” she said. The operating permits for the plants have expired. “They would have to be reactivated,” says Kemfert. Then you have to comply with extensive security requirements. These tests have not been done for years. In addition, it is not easy to buy fuel elements.

Scholz relies on the rapid expansion of renewable energies

Chancellor Olaf Scholz also reiterated his no to the extension of the term. Much more important for him is the rapid expansion of renewable energies. When it comes to nuclear power, there is a very unified expert opinion, emphasized the Chancellor. “The expert opinion is that the fuel rods will last until the end of the year. Then there was my suggestion: You shouldn’t use them now, but later – that is, stretch them. But that’s not quite right,” he said, looking at the current throttling of energy imports.

The Greens also reiterated their no to nuclear power. Green party leader Britta Haßelmann, like the chancellor, relies on the rapid expansion of renewables. According to Haßelmann, safety problems at nuclear power plants in France and Belgium also made it clear “that we really don’t need this: a bogus debate about the reactivation of nuclear energy.” The FDP, however, calls for an extension of the term to be examined again. Nuclear energy must remain an option, it said.