Economic methods calculate with Habeck's nuclear power plant plan: "Not expedient"

Created: 09/13/2022, 20:12

By: Richard Strobl

Robert Habeck is currently being criticized for his plans for the energy crisis.

(Archive photo) © Michael Kappeler (dpa

Again Robert Habeck gets strong opposition because of his energy plans.

This time by the Economic Wise Men, the government's expert council.

Berlin – Robert Habeck is currently not experiencing a quiet day.

The Federal Minister of Economics is heavily criticized, the survey values ​​​​of Habeck and the Greens are plummeting.

Now comes the next low blow: The German government's council of experts considers its plans to be "unproductive".

A clear reckoning from the highest expert instance.

"In order to further reduce gas-fired power generation, curb the sharp rise in electricity prices and increase the availability of energy, all options should be considered and discussed beyond ideological trench warfare," write the economic experts in a guest article in the

.

"Not expedient": The government's expert council gave Habeck's nuclear power plant resounding rebuff

This also includes the use of all possible short-term energy sources.

That's why the experts advocate getting the coal-fired power plants out of the reserve.

On the other hand, all remaining nuclear power plants would have to continue to be operated "at least until the energy crisis has been sustainably overcome."

Then the economists go even more clearly against Habeck's plans: "The last proposed operation of two nuclear power plants in the reserve until mid-April is not expedient," says the article.

Because this would only incur the costs for the provision, but the benefit from the operation would be completely missing.

"In addition, the current energy crisis, during which the power plants can contribute to a larger supply of electricity and somewhat lower electricity prices, is likely to last until at least the summer of 2024," it continues.

So the "reserve operation" of the nuclear power plants until April 2023, as planned by Habeck, also completely misses the necessary time frame.

Habeck in the expert criticism: More savings incentives, more new sources of supply needed

But that is not the only criticism of the experts.

Further sources of supply for gas would have to be found.

Because even if the gas storage targets of 95 percent were reached by November 1st, this amount of gas – without new deliveries – would only be sufficient for two and a half months.

In addition, the economists are calling for further incentives to save gas - especially in private households.

In the report they write: "The high gas prices should be passed on to the end consumers, who in return would have to be relieved across the board." This is the only way to create a real incentive to save.

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But even if the filling level target of 95 percent is reached by November 1, 2022, the storage tanks would only last for two and a half months without adjustments in winter.

"In view of the delivery stop from Russia, it is all the more urgent to exhaust all possibilities to significantly reduce gas consumption and to develop alternative sources of supply," write the economists.

On Monday (September 12) Habeck, based on an investigation into the stability of the power supply (stress test), proposed keeping the two southern German power plants operational until mid-April in the event of bottlenecks: Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim in Baden-Württemberg .

The third remaining nuclear power plant in Emsland in Lower Saxony should therefore not be part of the emergency reserve.

According to the current legal situation, all German nuclear power plants should actually go offline at the end of the year.

Habeck had rejected a flat-rate extension of the lifespan of the reactors, as the Union, among others, had been vehemently demanding for weeks.