The Bavarian state government sees its course inspired by the softening of the rigid position of the Greens on nuclear power – and is now adding further demands on top of it. Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) again demanded a longer term for German nuclear power plants after a meeting of his cabinet on Tuesday – but not only as a so-called stretch operation into next spring, but “at least” until mid-2024. No “strange” stretch operation is necessary, ” not three months of stretching back and forth, back and forth,” but a “reliable, clean basis,” said Söder. In order to ensure the energy supply, “brave decisions are finally needed”, it is “time not to constantly throw smoke screens”.
Actually, the last three reactors in Germany, including Isar 2 near Landshut in Bavaria, are supposed to go off the grid for good at the end of the year. Recently, however, there have been signals within the traffic-light government to operate without ordering new fuel rods, should an ongoing stress test for the power supply make this necessary. In the Munich City Council, where the Greens and the SPD govern, the coalition cleared the way last week for longer operation of the Lower Bavarian power plant, in which the city has a 25 percent stake. Söder justified the new date in mid-2024 with the “staying power” that is required when dealing with Putin’s energy tactics. The Federal Network Agency is also saying that “two hard winters” are imminent. Renewable energies, said Söder, are “a medium-term concept” because they initially did not enable the so-called base load capability; i.e. to supply electricity without interruptions. So far, the CSU had usually only spoken of temporary continued operation in order to get through the coming winter well.
Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (FW) meanwhile called for the decommissioned nuclear power plants to be reactivated. He said on Deutschlandfunk that everything that is responsible must be connected to the network. For example, the Bavarian nuclear power plant Gundremmingen C, which was shut down at the end of 2021, has fuel rods that could supply electricity until August 2023. Söder said on Tuesday that “more is always possible” – but initially the focus is on extending the three power plants that are still active.
“In extreme cases”
Söder accused the Greens of having said the “untruth” several times in the nuclear debate – given the safety concerns and the lack of personnel for continued operation. The former have long since an expert opinion from TÜV Süd, The latter is contradicted by feedback from the industry. The latest thesis by Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) in the ARD program “Anne Will”, according to which Bavaria has “a special problem” with the energy supply, does not apply either, said Söder. Every Bavarian problem shows up equally in the green-governed Baden-Württemberg.
The faction and party leadership of the Bavarian Greens does not rule out extending the life of the remaining nuclear power plants – but only for stretch operation, as the German Press Agency reported on Tuesday. If the now ongoing, tightened stress test should show that individual nuclear power plants are necessary “in extreme cases” to maintain the power supply and grid stability, “depending on the plant, we have to react accordingly,” says a statement by the leader of the state parliament, Ludwig Hartmann, from which the Augsburg General quoted first. During stretching, the power plants would first be throttled so that they can then be operated with the existing fuel rods beyond the turn of the year. The federal government recently announced that there was a second stress test calculation with tightened assumptions such as an even more serious gas supply disruption. Results are expected in the coming weeks. A first stress test from March to May came to the conclusion that security of supply was guaranteed in winter.
Hartmann and the green state chairman Thomas von Sarnowski also criticized the state government. They pointed out that the risk of supply bottlenecks in winter is greater in Bavaria than in other federal states – “because the Bavarian government has made us completely dependent on Russian gas, it has overslept the expansion of wind and solar energy and boycotted the important grid expansion ‘ said Hartman. “That makes us the problem child of the federal government and puts us in the situation that – depending on the result of the stress test – we may have to leave a high-risk technology online for a few weeks to bridge the gap.”
Söder wants to visit Haidach
Söder also announced on Tuesday that he would soon be visiting the Haidach gas storage facility in Salzburger Land with Aiwanger. Although the large depot is on Austrian territory, it has so far only been connected to the German gas network and is important for the supply of Bavaria. Austria’s Environment Minister Gewessler had in an interview with the SZ now announced that Haidach will also be connected to the Austrian network. The Free State’s actual access to the gas must be clarified in a timely manner, said Söder, so far there have only been “declarations of intent”. European solidarity is a great asset, but if things get really tight, discussions could start. Nevertheless, when asked, Söder admitted that the planned excursion with Aiwanger was mainly for the purpose of “taking care of and taking a picture on site”. Corresponding contracts would have to be negotiated between the governments in Berlin and Vienna. But his arguments “set something in motion” on other issues on which the federal government actually decides, said Söder – probably alluding to the nuclear power debate.
As was announced after the cabinet, the Free State wants to strengthen the expansion of power lines and standardize the switch away from pure gas heating. In addition, there will probably be a need for a rescue package for public utilities that get into trouble in winter. And Söder wants to set up his own South Prime Ministers’ Conference with colleagues from Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg. There were “first preliminary talks”. The aim should be to secure the energy supply in the southern countries. It is to be feared that federal plans will primarily benefit the north.