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Nuclear power plants shut down in Germany | Nuclear power plants shut down in Germany |
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Germany has temporarily shut down seven of its nuclear power plants while it reconsiders its nuclear strategy. | Germany has temporarily shut down seven of its nuclear power plants while it reconsiders its nuclear strategy. |
Chancellor Angela Merkel said all reactors that went into operation before 1980 would be taken offline, while safety checks would be carried on the country's remaining plants. | Chancellor Angela Merkel said all reactors that went into operation before 1980 would be taken offline, while safety checks would be carried on the country's remaining plants. |
All safety questions would be answered by 15 June, she said. | All safety questions would be answered by 15 June, she said. |
The decision comes after concerns about radiation leaks at a Japanese plant after last Friday's earthquake. | The decision comes after concerns about radiation leaks at a Japanese plant after last Friday's earthquake. |
'Out of order' | |
"In light of the situation, we will carry out a safety check of all nuclear plants," said Mrs Merkel. | |
"Those nuclear power plants which began operation before 1980 will be provisionally shut down for the duration of the moratorium. They will be out of service. | |
"Safety is the priority. Those are the criteria by which we acted today." | |
Last year, Germany decided to extend the life of its 17 nuclear power plants by 12 years, but that decision was suspended for three months on Monday. | |
The government had faced growing pressure for the extension to be scrapped. | |
More than a quarter of all German electricity comes from nuclear power. | More than a quarter of all German electricity comes from nuclear power. |
The Swiss government has also suspended decisions on its nuclear programme. | |
The European Commission is holding a meeting of ministers and experts on Tuesday to discuss the implications of the explosions at Japanese reactors on the European nuclear industry. | |
Concerns are growing about radiation leaks at a nuclear plant in Japan that has been hit by a third explosion in four days following last week's earthquake and resulting tsunami. | |
The blast occurred at reactor 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi plant - 250km (155 miles) north-east of Tokyo - which engineers had been trying to stabilise after two other reactors exploded. |