Göring-Eckardt nuclear power plant open – Scholz wants to wait for second stress test
“Everyone who is talking about nuclear power now just wants to be distracted”
Germany has sparked debate once again over extending the life of nuclear power plants in the face of possible winter gas shortages. Greens vice president Julia Verlinden thinks the debate is pointless. You only want to be distracted by the fact that you really want to stand in the way of the energy transition.
Green politician Göring-Eckardt extended the rule to prolong the nuclear power plant – but no longer extend operations beyond the end of the year. SPD leader Esken is also open to the debate. chancellor
bMeanwhile, in the debate about longer lifetimes for nuclear power plants in Germany, the untested Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to await the results of a second stress test on the safety of power supplies. A government spokesman said this in Berlin on Monday. It confirmed that the question of possible longer service life for the remaining three nuclear power plants would be examined with an open mind after the end of the year.
A spokesman for Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) said: “At the moment we believe that Germany will phase out nuclear power.” The requirements for continuous operation will be enormous, and the safety issues will be significant.
A week ago, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced a second stress test on the safety of electricity supplies in Germany. According to the ministry, it is a question of deciding whether the security of supply in the power sector and the safe operation of the grid are guaranteed under more stringent assumptions. A spokesman confirmed on Monday that results can be expected “in the next few weeks”.
Bundestag vice-president Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) previously did not rule out the so-called stretching operation of nuclear power plants in Germany beyond the end of the year. Asked whether the Greens would allow the kiln to expand, he said on Sunday evening at the ARD event “Anne Will”: “If it happens that we have a real emergency, hospitals can no longer function, if It happens that an emergency happens, so what should we talk about with the fuel rods.”
At the same time he clarified: “There will be no extension of this period.” But there is a “special problem” in Bavaria. The question is how to deal with it. “This particular problem could mean that these fuel rods only need to be burned in order to end up in Bavaria.” But “to be finished” does not mean that one can continue as in the past, he stressed.
In Bavaria, it is feared that without nuclear power, the electricity supply would not be secure in the event of a gas emergency. According to current law, the remaining three German nuclear power plants Neckarwestheim 2, Emsland and Isar 2 must be closed by 31 December. A stretching operation is not considered easy: the Federal Ministry of Environment and Economics came to the conclusion in an examination that three reactors with existing fuel rods could only operate after 31 December if their power output was already throttled. was.
Esken: “We’re not moving ideologically at this point”
Göring-Eckard pointed out that Germany is currently exporting electricity to France. Nuclear power plants could no longer operate there because they could not be cooled. “Nuclear power, you just have to say it again, is an incredibly dangerous technology in a variety of ways.”
SPD leader Saskia Esken insisted a factual approach in the debate about extension of term. “We are not ideological at this point,” Esken said in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” on Monday. “But it is also very clear: all the arguments spoken so far against nuclear power and why we have decided to phase it out (…) still apply.” A solution has still not been found for them for the final storage of nuclear waste, “and many other questions have not been clarified”.
Esken referred to the new stress test announced to protect power supplies: “The Ministry of Economics, as part of the federal government, already conducted an assessment at the beginning of the year and will now re-examine to what extent companies are being affected.” and similar things that are proposed there may be helpful. In mid-July, Esken called the long run time for nuclear reactors “totally pointless”. Nuclear power was “unprofitable, highly dangerous.” and has no future”.
Meanwhile, the union is demanding an early decision from the traffic light alliance. The first parliamentary manager of the union faction in the Bundestag, Thorsten Frei (CDU), said, “Picture“-Newspaper, it has to be done quickly. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) should do everything possible to close the energy gap next winter. In addition to saving energy, this has to do with increasing the biogas cover and battery life on top of that.” lengthening is included.
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