The last nuclear power plants in Germany have been shut down and the debate about a restart is already beginning. Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) announced at the weekend that he would continue to operate a nuclear reactor in Bavaria and would like to change the Atomic Energy Act to do so. Responsibility should be transferred to the states. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) sharply rejected the demand and spoke of irresponsibility.
“It is downright depressing how a prime minister so carelessly ignores licensing and constitutional issues and aspects of nuclear safety,” said Lemke Süddeutsche Zeitung. “According to the Basic Law, responsibility for nuclear power lies with the federal government.” The states could only operate nuclear power plants on a federal mandate. In addition, the authorization to operate the Isar 2 kiln has expired. “Even if you want to bring the reactor back online, as Mr. Söder obviously wants, it is not enough to legally grant it a new service life. It would require a new license for the reactor,” says Lemke. Söder is trying to delay the dismantling of the nuclear power plants “against the interests of radiation protection”. That is incompatible with the law. “On the contrary, it is now important to put safety at the forefront through rapid dismantling.”
For opponents of nuclear power, Saturday was a reason to celebrate, as for this man who is walking along the power plant site in Neckarwestheim.
(Photo: Stefan Puchner/dpa)
After more than 60 years of nuclear power in Germany, the last three still running reactors were shut down on Saturday: in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony. The nuclear phase-out, which goes back to a decision by former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and was particularly driven by the Greens, is considered historic. Union and FDP criticized the step. They called for climate-neutral nuclear power plants to be switched off only when climate-damaging energy sources such as coal were no longer needed. But the FDP also gave in, albeit against its own convictions.
The nuclear waste that has already been produced will remain dangerous for 30,000 generations, says Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke
“If it were up to me, we would keep existing nuclear power plants in reserve and prevent their dismantling,” said FDP leader Christian Lindner. He regrets that there is no majority in the Bundestag to at least keep the three nuclear power plants that were shut down on Saturday operational. Germany’s future lies in renewable energies, which, however, will only be available in sufficient quantities after a transition phase. Federal Environment Minister Lemke, on the other hand, emphasized that the risks of nuclear accidents are “ultimately unmanageable”. The nuclear waste that has already been produced will remain dangerous for 30,000 generations. In several places in Germany, demonstrators welcomed the exit. The SPD parliamentary group wrote on Twitter: “Nuclear power? And bye.”
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Söder did not want to share such cheerfulness. Again and again he had objected to the dismantling of the last nuclear power plants – and reaped objections. The power operation of nuclear power plants from April 16 is “a criminal offence,” said the federal nuclear supervisor, Gerrit Niehaus, department head for nuclear safety and radiation protection in the Ministry of the Environment, the German Press Agency. Markus Krebber, head of the energy group RWE, urged us to look ahead: “Now it is important to use all our strength to push ahead with the construction of hydrogen-capable gas power plants as quickly as possible in addition to renewable energies,” he said.
That didn’t stop Söder from submitting a new proposal: an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act so that Bavaria could keep the Isar 2 reactor connected to the grid. “Bavaria is asking the federal government for its own state responsibility for the continued operation of nuclear power,” he said picture on sunday. As long as the transition to renewables is not successful, every form of energy will have to be used by the end of the decade. Bavaria is ready “to face up to this responsibility” and is planning its own research reactor.
“The proposal is another example that Mr. Söder has no interest in seriously dealing with factual issues,” said Green politician Anton Hofreiter of the SZ. “Even Söder must know that this does not have a political majority and that it can hardly be implemented when it comes to nuclear waste alone.” The fact that the CSU politician opposed the open-ended search for a site for the deep disposal of highly radioactive waste testifies to “irresponsibility,” said Lemke.
According to the Basic Law, the federal government has sole legislative competence in the use of nuclear energy. Although the federal states are responsible for the approval and supervision of the systems, they act on behalf of the federal government, which has the authority to issue directives. The Atomic Energy Act also stipulates that the last nuclear reactor must be dismantled immediately after it has been shut down.