Greenpeace: "The government should not be driven by nuclear advocates like Söder and Merz"

Created: 06/09/2022, 17:09

By: Moritz Serif

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) at a press conference.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance

Economics Minister Robert Habeck presented the results of the stress test.

But can nuclear power plants be ramped up in time?

Berlin – Three nuclear power plants in Germany will remain connected to the grid as an emergency reserve until mid-April.

"The two nuclear power plants Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim should still be available until mid-April 2023 in order to be able to make an additional contribution to the power grid in southern Germany over the winter of 2022/23, if necessary," said Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens).

The storm could fail by the hour in winter, which is very unlikely, but cannot be completely ruled out.

But what if there was a short-term need?

Could the piles then be ramped up fast enough?

Martin Kaiser, Managing Director of Greenpeace Germany, responded to a press request from FR.de from IPPEN.MEDIA that it was taking a week or two to ramp it up.

"Nuclear power plants are therefore too cumbersome," says Kaiser.

Habeck's emergency plan: Greenpeace calls for massive expansion of wind in the south

The non-profit organization demands “a package of massive austerity measures, a load shedding regulation and management as well as an expansion of wind in the south at the speed of light” from the federal government.

In order to relieve the power grid, companies and public institutions would have to be legally obliged to reduce their power consumption by at least 15 percent.

"That way we would get through the coming winter safely without a nuclear power plant reserve," Kaiser replies.

In addition, the Greenpeace director is not satisfied with Habeck's emergency plan.

"With his decision to reserve reserves for two nuclear power plants, the Green Federal Minister of Economics, of all people, is announcing a hard-won social consensus in a central debate," said Kaiser.

The energy supply is placed above the safety problems of these nuclear power plants.

Greenpeace: "The government should not be rubbed by Söder and Merz

"The government should not be driven by opportunistic nuclear advocates like Söder and Merz," said the Greenpeace CEO.

Politicians have not pushed ahead with the energy transition in recent years and actively prevented it, as in Bavaria.

Above all, the distance rule with regard to wind turbines would have prevented a corresponding expansion.

(mse)