Germany will switch off its last three nuclear reactors on Saturday, exiting atomic power even as it seeks to wean itself off fossil fuels and manage an energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.
While many Western countries are upping their investments in atomic energy to reduce their emissions, Germany brought an early end to its nuclear age.
It’s “the end of an era,” the RWE energy firm said in a statement shortly after midnight confirming the three reactors had been disconnected from the electricity grid.
Germany brought an early end to its nuclear age
Europe’s largest economy has been looking to leave behind nuclear power since 2002, but the phase-out was accelerated by former chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011 after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
The exit decision was popular in a country with a powerful anti-nuclear movement, stoked by lingering fears of a Cold War conflict and atomic disasters such as Chernobyl in Ukraine.
“The risks of nuclear power are ultimately unmanageable,” said Environment Minister Steffi Lemke
Environment Minister Steffi Lemke
Minister Lemke travelled to the ill-fated Japanese plant ahead of a G7 meeting in the country. Anti-nuclear demonstrators took to the streets in several German cities to mark the closures.
Greenpeace, at the heart of the anti-nuclear movement, organised a celebration party at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Activists carried placards with the Slogan on placard reads: ‘Nuclear power finish now.’
Germany’s energy supply is safe without nuclear power
Switching off Germany’s remaining nuclear plants will not put the country’s power supply at risk despite the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, ministers said Thursday.
That was the message sent by the government, with all the ministers affirming the same message, Germany has enough power resources without nuclear.
Germany’s “security of supply is and will be assured” despite the nuclear exit, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in a statement.
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