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Germany: Nuclear power plants to close by 2022 | Germany: Nuclear power plants to close by 2022 |
(about 21 hours later) | |
Germany's coalition government has announced a reversal of policy that will see all the country's nuclear power plants phased out by 2022. | Germany's coalition government has announced a reversal of policy that will see all the country's nuclear power plants phased out by 2022. |
The decision makes Germany the biggest industrial power to announce plans to give up nuclear energy. | The decision makes Germany the biggest industrial power to announce plans to give up nuclear energy. |
Environment Minister Norbert Rottgen made the announcement following late-night talks. | Environment Minister Norbert Rottgen made the announcement following late-night talks. |
Chancellor Angela Merkel set up a panel to review nuclear power following the crisis at Fukushima in Japan. | Chancellor Angela Merkel set up a panel to review nuclear power following the crisis at Fukushima in Japan. |
There have been mass anti-nuclear protests across Germany in the wake of March's Fukushima crisis, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami. | There have been mass anti-nuclear protests across Germany in the wake of March's Fukushima crisis, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami. |
'Sustainable energy' | 'Sustainable energy' |
Mr Rottgen said the seven oldest reactors - which were taken offline for a safety review immediately after the Japanese crisis - would never be used again. An eighth plant - the Kruemmel facility in northern Germany, which was already offline and has been plagued by technical problems, would also be shut down for good. | Mr Rottgen said the seven oldest reactors - which were taken offline for a safety review immediately after the Japanese crisis - would never be used again. An eighth plant - the Kruemmel facility in northern Germany, which was already offline and has been plagued by technical problems, would also be shut down for good. |
Six others would go offline by 2021 at the latest and the three newest by 2022, he said. | Six others would go offline by 2021 at the latest and the three newest by 2022, he said. |
Nearly a quarter of German's electricity comes from nuclear power so the question becomes: How do you make up the short-fall? | Nearly a quarter of German's electricity comes from nuclear power so the question becomes: How do you make up the short-fall? |
The official commission which has studied the issue reckons that electricity use can be cut by 10% in the next decade through more efficient machinery and buildings. | The official commission which has studied the issue reckons that electricity use can be cut by 10% in the next decade through more efficient machinery and buildings. |
The intention is also to increase the share of wind energy. This, though, would mean re-jigging the electricity distribution system because much of the extra wind power would come from farms on the North Sea to replace atomic power stations in the south. | The intention is also to increase the share of wind energy. This, though, would mean re-jigging the electricity distribution system because much of the extra wind power would come from farms on the North Sea to replace atomic power stations in the south. |
Protest groups are already vocal in the beautiful, forested centre of the country which, they fear, will become a north-south "energie autobahn" of pylons and high-voltage cables. | Protest groups are already vocal in the beautiful, forested centre of the country which, they fear, will become a north-south "energie autobahn" of pylons and high-voltage cables. |
Some independent analysts believe that coal power will benefit if the wind plans don't deliver what is needed. | Some independent analysts believe that coal power will benefit if the wind plans don't deliver what is needed. |
And on either side of Germany are France, with its big nuclear industry, and Poland, which has announced an intention to build two nuclear power stations. | |
Mr Rottgen said: "It's definite. The latest end for the last three nuclear power plants is 2022. There will be no clause for revision." | Mr Rottgen said: "It's definite. The latest end for the last three nuclear power plants is 2022. There will be no clause for revision." |
Mr Rottgen said a tax on spent fuel rods, expected to raise 2.3bn euros (£1.9bn) a year from this year, would remain despite the shutdown. | Mr Rottgen said a tax on spent fuel rods, expected to raise 2.3bn euros (£1.9bn) a year from this year, would remain despite the shutdown. |
Mrs Merkel's centre-right Christian Democrats met their junior partners on Sunday after the ethics panel had delivered its conclusions. | Mrs Merkel's centre-right Christian Democrats met their junior partners on Sunday after the ethics panel had delivered its conclusions. |
Before the meeting she said: "I think we're on a good path but very, very many questions have to be considered. | Before the meeting she said: "I think we're on a good path but very, very many questions have to be considered. |
"If you want to exit something, you also have to prove how the change will work and how we can enter into a durable and sustainable energy provision." | "If you want to exit something, you also have to prove how the change will work and how we can enter into a durable and sustainable energy provision." |
The previous German government - a coalition of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens - decided to shut down Germany's nuclear power stations by 2021. | The previous German government - a coalition of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens - decided to shut down Germany's nuclear power stations by 2021. |
However, last September Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition scrapped those plans - announcing it would extend the life of the country's nuclear reactors by an average of 12 years. | However, last September Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition scrapped those plans - announcing it would extend the life of the country's nuclear reactors by an average of 12 years. |
Ministers said they needed to keep nuclear energy as a "bridging technology" to a greener future. | Ministers said they needed to keep nuclear energy as a "bridging technology" to a greener future. |
The decision to extend was unpopular in Germany even before the radioactive leaks at the Fukushima plant. | The decision to extend was unpopular in Germany even before the radioactive leaks at the Fukushima plant. |
But following Fukushima, Mrs Merkel promptly scrapped her extension plan, and announced a review. | But following Fukushima, Mrs Merkel promptly scrapped her extension plan, and announced a review. |
Greens boosted | Greens boosted |
Germany's nuclear industry has argued that an early shutdown would be hugely damaging to the country's industrial base. | Germany's nuclear industry has argued that an early shutdown would be hugely damaging to the country's industrial base. |
Before March's moratorium on the older power plants, Germany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its energy. | Before March's moratorium on the older power plants, Germany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its energy. |
The anti-nuclear drive boosted Germany's Green party, which took control of the Christian Democrat stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in late March. | The anti-nuclear drive boosted Germany's Green party, which took control of the Christian Democrat stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in late March. |
Shaun Burnie, nuclear adviser for environmental campaign group Greenpeace International, told the BBC World Service that Germany had already invested heavily in renewable energy. | Shaun Burnie, nuclear adviser for environmental campaign group Greenpeace International, told the BBC World Service that Germany had already invested heavily in renewable energy. |
"The various studies from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show that renewables could deliver, basically, global electricity by 2050," he said. | "The various studies from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show that renewables could deliver, basically, global electricity by 2050," he said. |
"Germany is going to be ahead of the game on that and it is going to make a lot of money, so the message to Germany's industrial competitors is that you can base your energy policy not on nuclear, not on coal, but on renewables." | "Germany is going to be ahead of the game on that and it is going to make a lot of money, so the message to Germany's industrial competitors is that you can base your energy policy not on nuclear, not on coal, but on renewables." |
Shares in German nuclear utilities RWE and E.On fell on the news, though it had been widely expected. | Shares in German nuclear utilities RWE and E.On fell on the news, though it had been widely expected. |
But it was good news for manufacturers of renewable energy infrustructure. | But it was good news for manufacturers of renewable energy infrustructure. |
German solar manufacturer, Solarworld, was up 7.6% whilst Danish wind turbine maker Vestas gained more than 3%. | German solar manufacturer, Solarworld, was up 7.6% whilst Danish wind turbine maker Vestas gained more than 3%. |