Nuclear power: Green politician considers nuclear power plant "stretching operation" possible - and sees "special problem" in Bavaria

Created: 2022-07-25 07:13

The Isar 2 nuclear power plant in Bavaria.

© Armin Weigel

Actually, the German nuclear reactors should be switched off at the end of the year.

In an emergency situation, however, one can refrain from doing so, says Katrin Göring-Eckardt.

Berlin - The energy crisis is also affecting Germany.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck repeatedly emphasizes that the main shortage is not in electricity, but in gas - and that nuclear power plants cannot remedy this.

His party colleague and Bundestag Vice-President Katrin Göring-Eckardt is now not ruling out “extended operation” of the kiln beyond the end of the year.

"If it happens that we have a real emergency situation, that hospitals can no longer work when such an emergency situation occurs, then we have to talk about what's going on with the fuel rods," the Green politician replied to a corresponding question in the ARD program "Anne Will".

Nuclear power in Germany: Göring-Eckhardt sees a "special problem" in Bavaria

At the same time, she made it clear: "There will be no extension of the term." But there is a "special problem" in Bavaria.

The question is how to deal with it.

"This special problem can mean that these fuel rods only have to be burned out in order to make ends meet in Bavaria." But "making ends meet" does not mean that one can continue as in the past, she emphasized.

In Bavaria it is feared that the electricity supply there could not be secured in the event of a gas emergency without nuclear power.

According to current law, the three remaining German nuclear power plants Neckarwestheim 2, Emsland and Isar 2 must be shut down by December 31 at the latest.

Green politician on nuclear power: "Insanely dangerous technology"

A stretching operation is not considered easy: the Federal Ministries for the Environment and Economics had come to the conclusion in an examination that the three reactors could only continue to run if their power generation was throttled beforehand.

Göring-Eckardt pointed out that Germany is currently exporting electricity to France.

The nuclear power plants could no longer work there because they could not be cooled down.

"Nuclear power, you just have to say it again, is an incredibly dangerous technology in different ways."