The fact that Finance Minister Lindner is slowing down the Atomic Energy Act has met with fierce criticism from the Greens. Economics Minister Habeck is urging that the way for possible continued operation be cleared quickly. Green leader Lang also warns that an energy crisis is not the right moment for “political poker games”.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck is urging the FDP to take action in dealing with the three remaining German nuclear power plants. “If you want the nuclear power plants to be able to produce electricity after December 31, you have to clear the way now,” the Vice Chancellor told the “Spiegel” and warned: “Time is pressing.”
Because of the energy crisis, Habeck wants to keep two nuclear power plants operational until spring in the event of power supply bottlenecks. The FDP, on the other hand, is pushing for all three remaining German nuclear power plants to continue operating until 2024 – party leader and finance minister Christian Lindner reaffirmed this on Monday.
In the course of the nuclear phase-out, it was actually intended that the last German nuclear power plants would be taken off the grid at the end of the year. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, there was an agreement within the traffic lights of the SPD, Greens and FDP to bring the draft law on nuclear power reserve through the cabinet last Monday so that the Bundestag can then discuss it. So far this has not happened.
Habeck criticizes: “You can’t want longer terms and at the same time prevent the nuclear power plants from being able to run.” But that is exactly what is happening, he says, referring to Lindner and the FDP. “It’s simply a question of technology, not politics,” he said.
Green leader Ricarda Lang also put pressure on. “We have all the options at hand to ensure security of supply and grid stability in winter,” she said in Berlin. This also includes the operational reserve agreed in the coalition. “Now the FDP of all people is blocking the possible continued operation of the nuclear power plants for party tactical reasons.”
However, the operators urgently need certainty in order to be able to carry out the necessary repairs on the Isar 2 power plant, emphasized Lang. At the Bavarian Isar 2 power plant, maintenance work is required on a valve so that it can continue to run beyond the end of the year.
So that the nuclear power plants could continue to run over the winter, the FDP must now clear the way for the operational reserve, said Lang. “If it doesn’t do that, it bears the responsibility for switching off the nuclear power plants on December 31. A deep crisis is not the moment for political poker games at the expense of energy security, but for reliability and responsibility.”
