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Ukraine interferes in German nuclear power plant dispute: Selenskyj consultant turns directly to the Greens

2022-08-09T08:01:48.820Z


Ukraine interferes in German nuclear power plant dispute: Selenskyj consultant turns directly to the Greens Created: 08/09/2022, 09:55 By: Bettina Menzel Mykhailo Podoliak (middle right) speaks to the media (archive photo from March 2022). © picture alliance/dpa/kyodo | - Germany is debating extending the lifespan of Germany's three nuclear power plants. Ukraine has a clear opinion on this - a


Ukraine interferes in German nuclear power plant dispute: Selenskyj consultant turns directly to the Greens

Created: 08/09/2022, 09:55

By: Bettina Menzel

Mykhailo Podoliak (middle right) speaks to the media (archive photo from March 2022).

© picture alliance/dpa/kyodo |

-

Germany is debating extending the lifespan of Germany's three nuclear power plants.

Ukraine has a clear opinion on this - and is in favor of continued operation.

Kyiv - Ukraine is now also getting involved in the debate about shutting down the last three German nuclear reactors.

In view of the throttling of Russian gas supplies, it makes sense to keep the three plants in Germany running, Mykhailo Podoljak, adviser to the Ukrainian president, told the

Tagesspiegel

in the Sunday edition.

Gas crisis in Germany: Ukraine appeals for the continued operation of the German nuclear reactors

Germany must save energy.

In view of the Ukraine war and Russia's throttling of gas supplies, energy prices in Germany are setting new records.

The Ukrainian government has now appealed to the Greens to let the last nuclear power plants in Germany continue to operate beyond the end of the year.

Emsland in Lower Saxony, Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg are still connected to the network.

The coming winter will be a "key winter," said Podoljak, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's closest adviser, to the

Tagesspiegel

.

In view of the throttling of Russian gas supplies, it does not make sense to shut down the three plants in December, the presidential adviser continued.

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"It is imperative that we use everything we have to create a new energy map in Europe as quickly as possible and to stop financing Russia's war," emphasized Podoliak.

This is also a question of leadership.

“We are paying a high price, many people are dying.

We hope that our partners will see and understand this award and do everything possible on their part,” said Podoljak.

Shut down nuclear power plants?

The parties represent these positions

Due to the tense situation on the energy markets, the CDU and CSU are in favor of postponing the final shutdown of the last three German nuclear reactors, which was actually planned for December 31st.

They want at least one so-called stretching operation, i.e. continued operation with the existing fuel rods for as long as possible, but prefer the procurement of new fuel rods and an extension of the service life into 2024.

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"We will see ourselves exposed to Putin's brutal attempt to destabilize the West through energy terrorism for a long time to come," said Alexander Dobrindt, head of the CSU state group.

"In this situation, lifetime extensions for nuclear power by at least another five years are conceivable," said the Union politician in an interview with Die 

Welt

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The topic is controversial in the traffic light coalition.

SPD and Greens are skeptical, but in the event of a crisis they no longer want to rule out an extension in general, but rather “review it with an open mind”.

Critics of continued operation of the nuclear power stations claim that the power plants only covered six percent of Germany's electricity needs.

In addition, an extension of the lifetime would result in additional nuclear waste.

In addition, the power plants were not checked for safety problems as thoroughly as usual because of the decision to phase out in recent years.

A TÜV inspection of the nuclear reactor in Bavaria was recently criticized - also by the Federal Ministry for the Environment.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has long been critical of extending the nuclear power plants: "The experts tell us: It won't work".

The nuclear phase-out had been decided for a long time.

Fuel elements and the necessary maintenance intervals of the systems are precisely tailored to this.

So the fuel rods lasted until the end of the year.

Getting new ones would take at least 12 to 18 months, Scholz emphasized in June.

Then on Wednesday there was a slight turn.

Despite a small contribution to electricity production, a short-term extension could "make sense", said the Chancellor.

Before making a decision, however, he wants to wait for the result of the stress test

(AFP/bme).

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-08-09

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