Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that it "
may make sense
" to extend the operating life of the last three nuclear power plants in operation in Germany, partly deprived of Russian gas and which fears an energy crisis.
These plants "
are only relevant for the production of electricity and only for a small part of it
", but "
it can still make sense
", affirmed the German chancellor.
As a reminder, Germany has in principle decided to phase out nuclear energy at the end of this year.
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The scarcity of Russian gas deliveries to Germany, however, has brought back to the fore the question of keeping the last power stations in operation longer than expected, in the face of the gas crisis.
Berlin must therefore decide in the coming weeks on a possible extension of these plants based on new expertise in progress.
Once the results of this "
stress test
" are known "
we will then draw our conclusions
", explained the Chancellor on a visit to Mülheim an der Ruhr on the site of the industrialist Siemens Energy, where a gas turbine repaired and intended to equipping a Russian gas pipeline to Europe is waiting to be transported to Russia.
The government coalition weakened?
The three nuclear power plants still in operation (in Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg) currently compete for 6% of net electricity production in Germany.
The question of their extension divides the government coalition, the Greens being skeptical, the Social Democratic Party of Olaf Scholz so far reserved, and the Liberals of the FDP for.
It is also claimed by the conservative Union CDU-CSU in opposition.
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The German Chancellor justified the current reflections on a nuclear extension by the fact that the development of renewable energies, supposed to replace nuclear energy and coal, is slower than expected.
It is “
very different from region to region in Germany
,” he said.
“
This is particularly true in Bavaria, which has made slow progress with the expansion of wind energy
,” the SPD leader continued, in a snipe at this historically conservative and energy-intensive region. 'energy.
"
We will support all regions of Germany as best we can
" for the
“, finally assured Olaf Scholz.