Will the Isar 2 nuclear power plant go offline at the end of the year or not? Although the question seems to have been decided for a long time, the dispute over it has only really boiled over since Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) discovered the topic as a source of political energy. Power plant boss Carsten Müller recently declared in the state parliament that the deadline for extending the Isar 2 service life expires at the end of May.
The date has passed, but Söder attacks Chancellor Olaf Scholz with renewed vigour. It was “technical nonsense” when Scholz claimed that the fuel rods for the continued operation of the German nuclear power plants were missing. The Nuclear Energy Industry Association said Munich Mercury Earlier this week: “We advocate using all available sources to better weather the energy crisis.” So also nuclear power. In April, on the other hand, Eon boss Leo Birnbaum declared the chapter for his company to be over. What is it now?
The fact is that the war in the Ukraine made all energy policy planning in Bavaria obsolete. Until February, gas-fired power plants were still considered an important part of the energy transition because they can compensate for fluctuations in the grid. It is possible that they will largely be canceled due to the Russian embargo. In 2020, they produced at least 15.9 percent of the electricity in Bavaria. The federal government now wants to use more coal instead of gas in the power plants so that there is still enough left over to heat private households. In view of the exorbitant gas prices next winter, they could find themselves forced to put electric radiators in their apartments – which would also increase electricity consumption.
At first glance, it seems downright absurd that the Isar 2 nuclear power plant with its 1400 megawatts is to be taken off the grid on December 31, 2022 – and 12.5 percent of Bavaria’s electricity generation will therefore be lost. At least in theory, Isar 2 could compensate for the potential loss in gas power generation.
It is high time that the federal government and the power plant operators put an end to the confusion and make it clear to the citizens whether the service life of the last Bavarian nuclear power plant will be extended or not. Everything indicates that the end of the year is over and that Söder is pursuing political calculations with his late commitment to nuclear power. Should the energy crisis escalate next winter, he can at least say: I warned you.