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Energy: Habeck rejects allegations about the nuclear phase-out

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energy
Habeck rejects allegations about the nuclear phase-out

Robert Habeck: “We got through the crisis really well.” photo

© Monika Skolimowska/dpa

Was information suppressed before the decisions to phase out nuclear power? Robert Habeck commented on this before a special meeting.

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) has rejected criticism of the decision-making process to phase out nuclear power. Before the start of a special meeting of the Bundestag Committee on Climate Protection and Energy, Habeck said that one year after the nuclear phase-out, all the “prophecies of doom” had not come true. The energy supply is completely secured and electricity prices on the market have fallen. “We got through the crisis really well.”

The special meeting was triggered by a report from the magazine “Cicero”. Accordingly, in the spring of 2022, internal concerns about the nuclear phase-out planned for the following year were suppressed in both the Ministry of Economics and the Environment Ministry. Important information did not reach Habeck. Habeck said the assumption that there was some kind of secret knowledge that did not reach him was wrong.

Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) also rejected allegations before a special meeting of the Environment Committee. “My concern is that we can guarantee nuclear safety in our country at all times.”

The right questions

Habeck said what was crucial was that he was always able to ask the right questions in the really relevant rounds. These were the meetings with the power plant operators. “This is also documented and can be presented in writing that these were also answered.” In March 2022, the operators of the nuclear power plants reported that the fuel elements had been “exhausted”.

In March 2002, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Environment spoke out in an audit report against extending the operating life of nuclear power plants. Both ministries had examined whether and to what extent an extension of the operating times of nuclear power plants would contribute to energy security – given Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law, and Russia’s current high import dependency. The operation of three nuclear power plants was later extended until mid-April 2023 to secure the electricity supply.