Söder counters Scholz' veto on the nuclear power plant extension: "That's technical nonsense"
Created: 2022-06-20 13:23
By: Andreas Schmid
Markus Söder (left) and Olaf Scholz after a Corona summit.
The two disagree on the subject of extending the lifetime of nuclear power plants (archive photo).
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa (archive photo)
Olaf Scholz believes extending the life of nuclear power plants is wrong.
Markus Söder sees it differently - and accuses the Chancellor of "stubbornness".
Munich - Germany shuts down the nuclear power plants.
Only three nuclear power plants are currently in operation in Germany, one of which is in Bavaria.
Because of the uncertain energy situation caused by the Ukraine war, there are political voices who want to extend the running times.
The FDP is for it – the SPD and the Greens are against it.
CSU boss Markus Söder has now also positioned himself clearly.
Nuclear power debate: Söder sees "ideological debate" - Scholz speaks nuclear power plain text
"New reports have shown that everything can be continued," said Söder at a press conference in Munich on Monday.
“This is a purely ideological debate.
The Greens and the SPD are refusing a necessary discussion." The Bavarian Prime Minister does not know "how I should interpret the Chancellor's interview in the
Munich Merkur
".
In an interview with our editors, Scholz said that an extension of the term would not work.
"This is what experts tell us: the nuclear phase-out was decided a long time ago, the fuel elements and the necessary maintenance intervals of the plants were precisely tailored to the phase-out.
The fuel rods will last until the end of the year.” Procuring new fuel rods takes 12 to 18 months.
"At least." Scholz added: "That's why nuclear power won't help us now, not in the next two years, which is important."
Nuclear power: Söder counters Scholz - "This stubbornness makes no sense"
"It doesn't matter what your ideological stance on it is," Söder countered.
"It doesn't make any sense to push through this exit like this.
It is pure stubbornness at the expense of many people.” The Prime Minister did not want to speak of a “blackout”.
“But it will massively increase the energy shortage.
That's just nonsensical." With a view to the Chancellor's argument, Söder added: "It's doable.
Fuel rods can be obtained throughout Europe.” Scholz's argument is “technical nonsense”.
He called for “energy policy reason”.
In other words: a term extension over several years.
"It should definitely be by 2025."
Söder is "not an exaggerated fan of nuclear energy anymore".
However, the extension of the term is “now the order of the day”.
The FDP sees it that way too.
Its Secretary General, Bijan Djir-Sarai, asked Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) on Monday to extend the operating times of the three remaining nuclear power plants.
"It is necessary to let the three remaining nuclear power plants run longer," he said.
"This is a fact that the Minister of Economics cannot ignore."
Nuclear power in Germany: These nuclear reactors will be in operation until December 31, 2022
Isar 2
: Bavaria
Emsland
: Lower Saxony
Neckarwestheim
: Baden-Württemberg
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Habeck, on the other hand, pointed out that the further use of nuclear power had been examined again at the beginning of the legislative period "technically without any ideology", with a negative result.
"There is not much more to say about nuclear energy," said the Economics Minister.
Green party leader Britta Hasselmann made a similar statement.
“There will be no exit from exit.
I'm sure of it," she wrote on Twitter.
The operators of the last three nuclear power plants in Germany were also irritated by the FDP's initiative.
Continued operation beyond the specified end date for German nuclear energy on December 31, 2022 "would be associated with high hurdles of a technical and legal nature," said a spokesman for RWE AG to the
Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung
.
The debate about the extension of the term will probably cause explosives in the federal government.
Once again the traffic light seems split.
FDP in favor, Greens and SPD against.
Now the CSU is also positioning itself.
(as)
"
