Nuclear phase-out: Habeck counters accusations about the nuclear phase-out

A few weeks before the federal election, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck countered allegations about the nuclear phase-out in the Bundestag’s investigative committee. The Green Party candidate for chancellor defended himself against accusations that he and his ministry had not examined the continued operation of the remaining nuclear power plants in Germany in 2022 during the energy crisis after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. “There were no restrictions on thinking,” said Habeck.

The continued operation of the nuclear power plants was examined without any ideological predeterminations and with an open mind. The only question was whether it helped security of supply and whether it could be implemented.

The Union and FDP accuse Habeck and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) of not having examined continued operation in an “open-ended” and “unbiased” manner, but of having decided for ideological reasons. This contributed to higher electricity prices.

Habeck was the penultimate witness in the U-Committee before Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The Green Party candidate for chancellor appeared aggressive and went on the offensive several times. He accused the previous Union-led governments of leading Germany into a dangerous dependence on Russian gas. It was only the traffic light government that stopped the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia in 2022, which would have made the situation even worse. The actions of the then federal government after the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 should actually be investigated. The threat of a gas shortage in 2022 has been used by some actors to revise the nuclear phase-out.

At the insistence of the FDP, a longer-term extension would have lasted until 2024, said Habeck. “So that would have been a return to nuclear power.” According to his information at the time, with new fuel rods the nuclear power plants would probably have had to run for another three to five years.

Habeck countered objections from committee members. He accused committee chairman Stefan Heck (CDU) of not being able to substantiate statements with files and of having incorrectly summarized evidence.

Keep nuclear power plants running longer?

After the start of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, the federal government was alarmed by the high level of dependence on fossil fuels from Russia. There were also calls to keep the three remaining nuclear power plants online beyond the end of 2022. In 2011, after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, the then black-yellow government decided to phase out Germany’s nuclear power by the end of 2022.

What would continued operation have achieved?

In March 2022, a joint review by the Economics and Environment Ministries found that extending the operating times of the remaining nuclear power plants could only make a “very limited contribution to solving the problem, and this at very high economic costs and constitutional and safety risks.”

Habeck explained that in the spring of 2022, the heads of the three operators of the nuclear power plants that were still running at the time said that with the existing fuel elements, continued operation would be possible beyond the end of the year and therefore only possible in the winter if they were shut down in the summer. However, the result would not have been any additional amounts of electricity. The result would have been to use more gas to produce electricity in the summer. But that would have been risky because of the lack of Russian gas deliveries.

Habeck: Hut burned “brightly”

With regard to the energy crisis, Habeck said that the possible continued operation of nuclear power plants was only one of several issues at the time. “The hut was on fire.” For example, he referred to the purchase of gas and the construction of liquefied natural gas terminals on German coasts. He made many decisions in the crisis year in the “existing emergency situation”. It was possible to protect citizens and the economy.

The assessment of the amount of electricity produced by nuclear power plants changed in the summer. The situation on the energy markets has deteriorated. In addition, the operators of the nuclear power plants have gradually corrected statements about potential amounts of electricity, said Habeck. Contrary to what was announced by the operator in March, additional amounts of electricity would be available in a stretch operation. Habeck then suggested keeping two of the three reactors in reserve until mid-April 2023 and continuing to use them for electricity generation if necessary.

The last three nuclear power plants in Germany ultimately ran a few months longer than originally planned – the nuclear phase-out was postponed from December 31, 2022 to April 15, 2023. Before that, after a dispute within the then traffic light coalition, Chancellor Scholz had a word of power Given October 17, 2022.

About a meeting between Scholz, the then Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and him a day earlier, Habeck said that Lindner had said at the time that he would have to be forced to accept a decision that did not amount to a long-term extension of the life of the remaining German nuclear power plants .

The dispute in autumn 2022 revolved around this: The Greens wanted to keep the two southern German nuclear power plants Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 in reserve until April 15th and continue to use them for electricity generation if necessary. The third remaining Emsland nuclear power plant, however, should be finally shut down on January 1, 2023. In view of the sharp increase in energy prices, the FDP, on the other hand, demanded that all three power plants continue to operate until 2024 and, if necessary, that nuclear power plants that have already been decommissioned be reactivated.

Lindner said in the committee on Wednesday that the Greens’ willingness to make undogmatic decisions on the issue of nuclear energy had reached its limits.

The Union and FDP see deception

Before the meeting began, committee chairman Heck accused Habeck of never having conducted an open-ended review. “On the contrary: it was a large-scale deception.” In the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Environment there have been repeated suggestions and expert assessments from speakers and department heads on the question of whether nuclear power plants should remain online longer. When they reached the political level, positive evaluations were changed so that they corresponded to Habeck’s political direction and ideology.

The FDP politician Frank Schäffler said it had become clear that the Greens had led the country “behind the scenes”. They had repeatedly thrown sand into the gears, he said, with a view to tests on the continued operation of the nuclear power plants.

Numerous witnesses have been questioned in the committee in recent weeks and months. A final report, which will contain statements from all parliamentary groups, is to be presented to the President of the Bundestag in February.