The traffic light has already twice failed to get the law on the longer service life of nuclear reactors through the cabinet. The Greens and the FDP are arguing about this on the open stage. There is an allegation of breach of word. A mediation attempt by Chancellor Scholz does not bring a breakthrough.
The dispute over the continued operation of nuclear power plants has flared up again in the traffic light coalition. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck called on the FDP to keep the agreement to keep only two nuclear power plants in reserve for a limited time after the end of the year. The FDP, on the other hand, reiterated its demand for the continued operation of all three nuclear power plants still on the grid for several years. An arbitration meeting between Habeck and Lindner in the Chancellery, scheduled by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, ended at noon according to ntv information without an agreement.
“Time is of the essence,” Habeck told the “Spiegel”. “If you want nuclear power plants to be able to produce electricity after December 31, you have to clear the way now.” There was “a firm agreement” within the government to ensure the continued operation of the two nuclear power plants. “You can’t want longer runtimes and at the same time prevent the nuclear power plants from being able to run.” But that is exactly what is happening, he said, referring to FDP leader Christian Lindner and the Liberals.
Habeck had proposed allowing the use of the nuclear power plants Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg as a reserve during the energy crisis until mid-April 2023 at the latest. To do this, the Atomic Energy Act and the Energy Industry Act must be amended. According to the current legal situation, all three German nuclear power plants still in operation – the third is the Emsland nuclear power station in Lower Saxony – will be taken off the grid at the end of the year.
The necessary cabinet decision was initially planned for last Wednesday, but did not take place. As a result, a decision was prepared for Monday – this date was also torn. The background is that the FDP wants to let all three nuclear power plants run much longer and also wants to buy new fuel rods for them.
According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, a speedy legislative process is necessary, particularly because of the situation at the Isar 2 nuclear power plant. A valve leak was discovered there. According to the operator, it would have to be repaired in October because the reactor core would then no longer have enough reactivity to be able to start up the nuclear power plant again with the existing fuel elements.
“The reporting of an alleged endangerment of the schedule for the continued operation of nuclear power plants is wrong,” said the parliamentary manager of the FDP parliamentary group, Johannes Vogel. “The fastest possible schedule proposed by the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy provided for a decision in the Bundestag in the coming week. The coalition factions are able and able to act at any time until the beginning of next week.” At the same time, he again defended his party’s position of leaving the remaining nuclear reactors connected to the grid longer than previously planned. FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr emphasized that the Liberals in the Bundestag are in favor of extending all three nuclear power plants that are still on the grid. The party will now “continue to discuss a solution in the traffic light coalition”.
Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge expressed incomprehension. There is a written agreement from Habeck, FDP leader Christian Lindner and Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the two reserve power plants, she said. “If the FDP now cancels this agreement, then that will be a problem.” The FDP wants to keep nuclear power plant operation until 2024 and also the Emsland power plant on the grid. “That won’t happen with us.” The Greens are holding a party conference in Bonn this weekend.
“The representation of the Greens is wrong,” said the spokesman, referring to statements by party leader Christian Lindner. “The FDP chairman even stated publicly in the press conference on the defense shield that the FDP considers a more far-reaching decision by the federal government to be necessary. There was no agreement on the matter.”
The SPD warned the two coalition partners to exercise prudence. “If there were no amendment, all nuclear reactors would be taken off the grid by the end of the year,” said parliamentary secretary Katja Mast to the editorial network Germany.
Union faction leader Friedrich Merz supported the Liberals. He hopes that the FDP “is strong enough” to assert itself on this issue. The Union faction also wants to run the three remaining nuclear power plants until the end of 2024 at the latest.
