DW
April 15,2023
The remaining three nuclear power stations went offline on Saturday. Some politicians have welcomed the shutdown while others warned that the intermittent nature of renewable energy will require more fossil fuels.
https://p.dw.com/p/4Q85i
Germany's last three nuclear power plants — Isar 2 in Bavaria, Emsland in Lower Saxony, and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — went offline Saturday after six decades of operation, according to energy companies operating the reactors.
Hours before the shutdown of Germany's three remaining nuclear power stations, several leftist and center-left lawmakers and environmental activists applauded the move, while pro-business and conservative politicians warned that the risk to the country's energy security remained.
The closure of the nuclear plants was delayed for several months by the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
The remaining three nuclear power stations went offline on Saturday. Some politicians have welcomed the shutdown while others warned that the intermittent nature of renewable energy will require more fossil fuels.
https://p.dw.com/p/4Q85i
Germany's last three nuclear power plants — Isar 2 in Bavaria, Emsland in Lower Saxony, and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — went offline Saturday after six decades of operation, according to energy companies operating the reactors.
Hours before the shutdown of Germany's three remaining nuclear power stations, several leftist and center-left lawmakers and environmental activists applauded the move, while pro-business and conservative politicians warned that the risk to the country's energy security remained.
The closure of the nuclear plants was delayed for several months by the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year.
What do German politicians think?
Ricarda Lang, head of the climate-friendly Greens' parliamentary group, wrote on Twitter that the end of nuclear power "marks a definitive entry into the age of renewable energies" that would allow the current generations to "ultimately leave to our children with a clear conscience."
Her party tweeted that Germany already generates around half of its electricity from renewable sources and "we want to break 80% by 2030."
The Greens said affordable renewable energies "would secure the energy supply, protect the climate, make Germany independent of autocrats and lay the foundation for a strong economy and good jobs."
The parliamentary group of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted: "Goodbye nuclear power! Goodbye insecure, unclean, uneconomical energy policy!"
A separate tweet showed an image of a collapsing nuclear power plant cooling tower.
A separate tweet showed an image of a collapsing nuclear power plant cooling tower.
On the other hand, the business-focused Free Democratic Party (FDP) parliamentary group, which is in coalition with the SPD and Greens, made clear on Twitter that is it not happy with the exit.
Party leader Christian Lindner, who is Germany's finance minister, wrote on Twitter that while the future is renewable energy, "in the meantime, we have to secure our supply until we have sufficient capacity."
Lindner said if it was up to him, Germany would retain the last three power plants in reserve.
Rightwing parties describe a 'black day' for Germany
Opposition conservative politicians were also disappointed, including Markus Söder, premier of the southern state of Bavaria, who told the Focus Online website on Thursday that he wanted the plants to stay online and three more to be kept "in reserve."
Söder accused the coalition government's decision of being "purely ideological," adding that it was a "serious mistake to exit nuclear energy at this point in time."
His party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) tweeted of a "black day for citizens, industry and climate protection in Germany" as a result of the shutdown
Christian Democratic Union (CDU) chief Friedrich Merz on Friday insisted that the last three nuclear plants "are the safest in the world."
"No other country is reacting to the Ukraine war and the aggravated energy supply situation like Germany," Merz told public broadcaster NDR.
Business leaders, including Peter Adrian, president of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), called on the government to "expand the supply of energy and not restrict it any further" in light of potential shortages and high prices.
"No other country is reacting to the Ukraine war and the aggravated energy supply situation like Germany," Merz told public broadcaster NDR.
Business leaders, including Peter Adrian, president of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), called on the government to "expand the supply of energy and not restrict it any further" in light of potential shortages and high prices.
Greenpeace has organized celebrations in Berlin and Munich for the nuclear switchoff
Nadja Wohlleben/REUTERS
Greenpeace seeks answers on nuclear waste disposal
Ahead of the shutdown, Martin Kaiser, managing director of Greenpeace Germany, urged ministers to ensure the safe disposal of the accumulated nuclear waste, which he said would still be radioactive for millions of years.
Greenpeace has organized celebratory fetes at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and in the southern city of Munich to mark the nuclear switch-off.
Ahead of the shutdown, Martin Kaiser, managing director of Greenpeace Germany, urged ministers to ensure the safe disposal of the accumulated nuclear waste, which he said would still be radioactive for millions of years.
Greenpeace has organized celebratory fetes at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and in the southern city of Munich to mark the nuclear switch-off.
How has Germany's nuclear exit unfolded?
The shutdown of Germany's nuclear reactors was agreed to more than a decade ago by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, stoked by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan and the 1986 Chernobyl accident in Ukraine.
The shutdown of Germany's nuclear reactors was agreed to more than a decade ago by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel, stoked by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan and the 1986 Chernobyl accident in Ukraine.
Heiko Becker/REUTERS
But the planned closure of the three remaining plants in December 2022 was temporarily halted due to last winter's energy crisis as the price of gas and electricity in Europe skyrocketed after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The deadline to shut down the plants was moved back to April 15.
The decision goes against plans by many other countries, such as the United States, China, France and Britain, who are counting on nuclear energy to replace planet-warming fossil fuels. Even Japan has walked back plans to phase out nuclear power.
Defenders of nuclear energy argue that it produces far fewer greenhouse gas emissions and be used to help Germany meet its goal of being carbon neutral by 2045.
"By phasing out nuclear power, Germany is committing itself to coal and gas because there is not always enough wind blowing or sun shining," said Rainer Klute, head of pro-nuclear non-profit association Nuklearia.
The German government has acknowledged that in the short term, the country will have to rely more heavily on polluting coal and gas to meet its energy needs, even as it continues to invest in renewables.
But Economy Minister Robert Habeck insisted that the energy supply would remain secure even after the last nuclear plant is wound down.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of Germans favor extending the lifespan of nuclear reactors or connecting old plants back to the grid, with only 28% backing the phase-out, a survey by the Forsa Institute showed earlier this week.
"I think this is certainly fed to a large extent by the fear that the supply situation is simply not secure," Forsa analyst Peter Matuschek told Reuters news agency.
But the planned closure of the three remaining plants in December 2022 was temporarily halted due to last winter's energy crisis as the price of gas and electricity in Europe skyrocketed after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The deadline to shut down the plants was moved back to April 15.
The decision goes against plans by many other countries, such as the United States, China, France and Britain, who are counting on nuclear energy to replace planet-warming fossil fuels. Even Japan has walked back plans to phase out nuclear power.
Defenders of nuclear energy argue that it produces far fewer greenhouse gas emissions and be used to help Germany meet its goal of being carbon neutral by 2045.
"By phasing out nuclear power, Germany is committing itself to coal and gas because there is not always enough wind blowing or sun shining," said Rainer Klute, head of pro-nuclear non-profit association Nuklearia.
The German government has acknowledged that in the short term, the country will have to rely more heavily on polluting coal and gas to meet its energy needs, even as it continues to invest in renewables.
But Economy Minister Robert Habeck insisted that the energy supply would remain secure even after the last nuclear plant is wound down.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of Germans favor extending the lifespan of nuclear reactors or connecting old plants back to the grid, with only 28% backing the phase-out, a survey by the Forsa Institute showed earlier this week.
"I think this is certainly fed to a large extent by the fear that the supply situation is simply not secure," Forsa analyst Peter Matuschek told Reuters news agency.
DW
(AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
Bavaria mulls reopening nuclear plant under state control
Greens accused of 'endangering' Germany's prosperity
During the interview, Söder renewed his criticism of Germany's nuclear phaseout, noting that "all of Europe relies on climate-friendly nuclear power."
He took aim at the climate change-focused Green Party — one of three in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition — accusing them of "harming climate protection, our economy and endangering our prosperity."
Söder said the coalition was acting "extremely naively and negligently" by hoping that next winter will be as mild as the last.
He noted that the Federal Network Agency, the country's energy regulator, has warned of an energy supply crunch next winter, despite Germany securing fresh supplies of liquified natural gas (LNG) to offset the lack of Russian natural gas.
U-turn on nuclear phaseout unlikely
Söder's call is unlikely to be heeded. Germany's three-party governing coalition committed to ending the country's reliance on nuclear power when it took office in December 2021.
The country's nuclear phase-out has been on track for more than a decade. The decision to end nuclear power in Germany was sealed following the 2011 disaster in Fukushima by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democrats, the larger sister party to Söder's CSU, and her then coalition partners the business-focused Free Democrats, a member of the current governing coalition that has been critical of the move away from nuclear power.
Germany took its remaining three nuclear power plants — Isar 2 in Bavaria, Emsland in Lower Saxony, and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — off the grid on Saturday night, in a move celebrated by environmental activists but criticized by pro-business and conservative politicians.
In Berlin, environmentalists gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the shutdown of the reactors at midnight, while supporters of nuclear power also gathered there.
The closure was delayed from December 2022 to this month as a precaution, due to the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Despite the shutdown, Isar 2 roughly 450 employees will continue to receive fixed employment contracts until 2029 as the site still needs to be monitored and controlled.
Bavaria will go to the polls to pick a new state parliament on October 8.
DW
Hours after Germany closed its last three nuclear power plants, one state premier has sought powers to partially reverse the decision. A law change would allow Bavaria to operate the Isar 2 power station, he said.
Bavarian Premier Markus Söder on Sunday proposed that his southern German state could assume control of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant, which was permanently taken off the grid, along with two other remaining power stations shortly before midnight.
Söder, who has been a staunch critic of Germany's decision to transition away from nuclear energy, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the move would require an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act to hand control of nuclear power from the federal to the state level.
"Bavaria is, therefore, demanding that the federal government give states the responsibility for the continued operation of nuclear power. Until the [energy] crisis ends and while the transition to renewables has not succeeded, we must use every form of energy until the end of the decade. Bavaria is ready to face up to this responsibility," the chair of the center-right Christian Social Union (CSU) told the newspaper.
"We are a pioneer in nuclear fusion research and are examining the construction of our own research reactor, in cooperation with other countries," Söder added. "It can't be that a country of engineers like Germany gives up any claim to shaping the future and international competitiveness."
The Bavarian state premier said the country's nuclear plants are not "museums" but an "indispensable part of an affordable energy supply."
Isar 2 is the second, more powerful reactor at the Isar nuclear power plant, which lies some 80 kilometers (49 miles) northeast of Munich. The first reactor was shut down in March 2011.
Bavarian Premier Markus Söder on Sunday proposed that his southern German state could assume control of the Isar 2 nuclear power plant, which was permanently taken off the grid, along with two other remaining power stations shortly before midnight.
Söder, who has been a staunch critic of Germany's decision to transition away from nuclear energy, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that the move would require an amendment to the Atomic Energy Act to hand control of nuclear power from the federal to the state level.
"Bavaria is, therefore, demanding that the federal government give states the responsibility for the continued operation of nuclear power. Until the [energy] crisis ends and while the transition to renewables has not succeeded, we must use every form of energy until the end of the decade. Bavaria is ready to face up to this responsibility," the chair of the center-right Christian Social Union (CSU) told the newspaper.
"We are a pioneer in nuclear fusion research and are examining the construction of our own research reactor, in cooperation with other countries," Söder added. "It can't be that a country of engineers like Germany gives up any claim to shaping the future and international competitiveness."
The Bavarian state premier said the country's nuclear plants are not "museums" but an "indispensable part of an affordable energy supply."
Isar 2 is the second, more powerful reactor at the Isar nuclear power plant, which lies some 80 kilometers (49 miles) northeast of Munich. The first reactor was shut down in March 2011.
Greens accused of 'endangering' Germany's prosperity
During the interview, Söder renewed his criticism of Germany's nuclear phaseout, noting that "all of Europe relies on climate-friendly nuclear power."
He took aim at the climate change-focused Green Party — one of three in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition — accusing them of "harming climate protection, our economy and endangering our prosperity."
Söder said the coalition was acting "extremely naively and negligently" by hoping that next winter will be as mild as the last.
He noted that the Federal Network Agency, the country's energy regulator, has warned of an energy supply crunch next winter, despite Germany securing fresh supplies of liquified natural gas (LNG) to offset the lack of Russian natural gas.
U-turn on nuclear phaseout unlikely
Söder's call is unlikely to be heeded. Germany's three-party governing coalition committed to ending the country's reliance on nuclear power when it took office in December 2021.
The country's nuclear phase-out has been on track for more than a decade. The decision to end nuclear power in Germany was sealed following the 2011 disaster in Fukushima by then-Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democrats, the larger sister party to Söder's CSU, and her then coalition partners the business-focused Free Democrats, a member of the current governing coalition that has been critical of the move away from nuclear power.
Germany took its remaining three nuclear power plants — Isar 2 in Bavaria, Emsland in Lower Saxony, and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — off the grid on Saturday night, in a move celebrated by environmental activists but criticized by pro-business and conservative politicians.
In Berlin, environmentalists gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the shutdown of the reactors at midnight, while supporters of nuclear power also gathered there.
The closure was delayed from December 2022 to this month as a precaution, due to the energy crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Despite the shutdown, Isar 2 roughly 450 employees will continue to receive fixed employment contracts until 2029 as the site still needs to be monitored and controlled.
Bavaria will go to the polls to pick a new state parliament on October 8.
DW
(AFP, dpa, EPD, Reuters)
Germany to turn off nuclear power, but others not ready yet
Srinivas Mazumdaru
04/14/2023
Germany is shutting down its last three atomic power plants this weekend after previously delaying the nuclear phaseout due to the war in Ukraine.
The energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine forced Germany last year to extend the life of the last three nuclear power plants in the country by a few months beyond the scheduled phaseout at the end of 2022.
The reactors will finally go offline on Saturday, April 15.
Despite calls for a delay in shutting down the plants, the German government said there's no turning back and the phaseout "is a done deal."
There are, however, some countries that continue to put their faith in nuclear energy, or at least view it as a source of carbon-free energy to combat climate change.
There are currently 412 nuclear reactors in operation in 41 countries worldwide, according to the World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR).
Nuclear power accounted for about 9.8% of global electricity generation in 2021, down from the peak of 17.5% in 1996.
The share of nuclear in the world's energy mix is now below renewable energy generation. A report released this week by energy think tank Ember stated that wind and solar energy made up a record high 12% of global electricity production last year.
Most nuclear reactors were built between 1968 and 1986, mainly in Europe, the United States, the former Soviet Union, and Japan.
The global average age of these reactors is 31 years.
China: Nuclear ambitions at home and abroad
China is a major player when it comes to the construction and operation of nuclear power plants. The country now operates 57 reactors and 21 more reactors are under construction.
China has by far the youngest large nuclear fleet in the world, with as many as 41 reactors — almost every four in five — having connected to the grid within the past 10 years.
The share of nuclear power in the country's electricity mix was almost 5% in 2022.
Beijing also has nuclear ambitions abroad, but it has so far only exported reactors to Pakistan. All six units currently being operated in the South Asian country are of Chinese design.
China's other international projects, including in the UK and Romania, have so far not proceeded to the stage of construction.
China does not have a repository for highly radioactive waste, but it is exploring one in the Gobi Desert. Its nuclear waste is currently stored at various domestic reactor sites.
India: Slow progress despite support
India currently has 19 nuclear reactors, with a total net generating capacity of 6.3 GW. Eight more reactors, with a combined capacity of 6.0 GW, are under construction. The average age of reactors is around 20 years.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), nuclear power contributed 39.8 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2021, marginally less than 40.4 TWh in 2020. This represents a share of 3.2% of total power generation, compared to 3.3% in 2020.
Nuclear power projects in the country have suffered from significant time and cost overruns, despite ample financial and political support from parties across the spectrum.
The sector has also been plagued by controversies and protests over issues related to land ownership as well as the safety and security of power plants in the event of natural or man-made disasters.
Furthermore, India does not have a final storage facility for highly radioactive nuclear waste.
Japan: Energy crisis prompts a rethink
The war in Ukraine and the ensuing global energy crisis have prompted the Japanese government to reverse the nuclear phase-out policy that was adopted following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster.
All of Japan's nuclear reactors were taken offline after the disaster and the majority remain out of action today.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's administration is now pushing a plan to maximize the use of nuclear energy, calling for seven reactors approved by Japan's nuclear safety watchdog to resume operations.
Kishida has also urged the nation to consider building "next-generation" reactors with new safety mechanisms.
Amid the energy crisis, polls show that public views on nuclear power are softening, although mistrust still runs deep among sections of society.
Recycling atomic waste? 05:52
Finland: Support for nuclear on the rise
Finland currently operates four nuclear reactors, which supply a third of the nation's electricity. A fifth reactor is in the implementation phase, according to the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs.
In recent years, support for nuclear has grown in Finland, spurred by rising concern over climate change.
A poll conducted last year by the Finnish Energy trade association showed 60% of Finns supported nuclear power, a record high.
The Finnish group Fennovoima had worked together with Russia's Rosatom on a nuclear project but terminated the collaboration in May 2022, citing risks linked to the war in Ukraine.
Compared to many other countries in the world, Finland is a step ahead in nuclear waste management. It is currently constructing a nuclear waste repository deep underground, which is scheduled to be operational by 2025.
France: Pressing ahead despite challenges
France relies on nuclear energy like no other country in the world. It currently operates 56 power plants, which supply about two-thirds of the nation's electricity demand.
The power plants have an average age of almost 37 years, and the last reactor went online in 1999.
Last year, French authorities had to close several of the nation's reactors after detecting corrosion problems, sending nuclear power production to a 30-year low.
Notwithstanding the problems, President Emmanuel Macron's government wants nuclear power production to rise again to between 350 and 380 terawatt hours per year in the coming years. It aims to press ahead with a €52-billion ($57 billion) plan to build six new next-generation EPR2 reactors.
There is no final repository for highly radioactive waste in France.
Can nuclear fusion solve the energy crisis?
Finland currently operates four nuclear reactors, which supply a third of the nation's electricity. A fifth reactor is in the implementation phase, according to the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs.
In recent years, support for nuclear has grown in Finland, spurred by rising concern over climate change.
A poll conducted last year by the Finnish Energy trade association showed 60% of Finns supported nuclear power, a record high.
The Finnish group Fennovoima had worked together with Russia's Rosatom on a nuclear project but terminated the collaboration in May 2022, citing risks linked to the war in Ukraine.
Compared to many other countries in the world, Finland is a step ahead in nuclear waste management. It is currently constructing a nuclear waste repository deep underground, which is scheduled to be operational by 2025.
France: Pressing ahead despite challenges
France relies on nuclear energy like no other country in the world. It currently operates 56 power plants, which supply about two-thirds of the nation's electricity demand.
The power plants have an average age of almost 37 years, and the last reactor went online in 1999.
Last year, French authorities had to close several of the nation's reactors after detecting corrosion problems, sending nuclear power production to a 30-year low.
Notwithstanding the problems, President Emmanuel Macron's government wants nuclear power production to rise again to between 350 and 380 terawatt hours per year in the coming years. It aims to press ahead with a €52-billion ($57 billion) plan to build six new next-generation EPR2 reactors.
There is no final repository for highly radioactive waste in France.
Can nuclear fusion solve the energy crisis?
03:20 Poland: New plans for nuclear power
Poland has been planning to go nuclear since 1980 and started building two reactors, but stopped construction after the Chernobyl reactor disaster of 1986.
After that, there were repeated and ultimately unsuccessful attempts to restart construction. In 2014, the government adopted a plan to build six new reactors, with the first unit scheduled to come online in 2024.
Again in early 2021, the Polish government greenlit plans to construct six reactors in two locations, with the first reactor to begin operation in 2033.
Poland hopes nuclear energy will help the country phase out coal-fired power plants, which currently meet about 70% of Polish electricity needs.
United States: Source of clean energy?
The US currently has the largest nuclear fleet in the world — with 92 commercial reactors.
In 2022, they accounted for about 18.2% of the country's electricity production, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The share of nuclear in the energy mix has been slipping over the past decade — from about 20% to just over 18% now. After hitting a peak of about 102,000 MW in 2012, US nuclear power generation dropped to 95,492 MW at the end of 2021.
The US also has the oldest reactors in the world, with an average age of 41.6 years. Most reactors went into operation by 1985. Only two new ones are currently under construction.
President Joe Biden, however, has championed nuclear as a source of carbon-free power to combat climate change. His administration last year launched a $6 billion (€5.4 billion) effort to rescue nuclear power plants at risk of closing.
Edited by: Rob Mudge
Germany and nuclear power — a love-hate relationship
2/11 PHOTOS
Nuclear power has been celebrated, condemned, and banned in Germany. As energy imports from Russia come to an end, many are calling for it to make a comeback. Here's a look at the history of a love-hate relationship.Image: Julian Stratenschulte/dpa/picture alliance
Nuclear power has been celebrated, condemned, and banned in Germany. As energy imports from Russia come to an end, many are calling for it to make a comeback. Here's a look at the history of a love-hate relationship.Image: Julian Stratenschulte/dpa/picture alliance
It all began with an 'egg'
Germany's first nuclear reactor went online in October 1957 in Garching near Munich. Given its shape, it was nicknamed the "atomic egg" and belonged to Munich's Technical University. It was a landmark in nuclear research and a symbol of a new beginning after WWII. In 1961, Germany began to produce energy for civilian use. Atomic energy was seen as safe and secure.Image: Heinz-Jürgen Göttert/dpa/picture-alliance
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