Germany Phases Out Its Nuclear Reactors Amidst Controversy

What's the story?

• Germany closed its last three nuclear power plants earlier this month, a move celebrated by anti-nuclear activists but criticized by some who think nuclear is a safe and viable alternative to fossil fuels.
• Germany plans to replace the roughly 6% of electricity generated by the three nuclear plants with renewables, gas, and coal.

What's the background?

• The plants were scheduled to shut down on Dec. 31, 2022, but the plans were postponed due to the war in Ukraine. Lawmakers approved the postponement on the condition that they would be shut down by mid-April 2023.
• Germany's 'nuclear era' has spanned over six decades, and the closure of the three plants, Emsland, Isar 2, and Neckarwestheim, has been in the works for several decades.
• The Green Party, which is part of Germany's governing coalition, has its roots in the 1970s anti-nuclear movement, and the politicians overseeing the decommissioning have been advocates for a long time. 
• The German government pledged to phase out nuclear power in 2000 but only took action once the 2011 Fukushima meltdown in Japan caused global concern about the safety of nuclear power. Following Fukushima, Chancellor Angela Merkel, a physicist turned politician, changed her pro-nuclear stance and promised to accelerate the decommissioning of older plants.

What are supporters saying?

• Supporters of the phase-out argue that nuclear power is dangerous and diverts funds from renewable energy projects and research.
• The anti-nuclear movement gained international influence in light of the Three Mile Island nuclear meltdown in Pennsylvania in 1979 and the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, which created nuclear fallout that reached Germany.
• Steffi Lemke, Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection, said:

"The position of the German government is clear: nuclear power is not green. Nor is it sustainable."

• Simone Peter, president of the German Renewable Energy Federation, told CNN:

"Germany's phase-out of nuclear power is a historic event and an overdue step in energy terms...It is high time that we leave the nuclear age behind and consistently organize the renewable age."

• Greenpeace spokesperson Paul-Marie Manière said:

"It is a great achievement for millions of people who have been protesting nuclear in Germany and worldwide for decades." 

• Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said:

"Nuclear power supplied electricity for three generations, but its legacy remains dangerous for 30,000 generations."

• Some of the vulnerabilities of nuclear power were highlighted during last summer's heatwave when high river temperatures made it difficult for France to cool down its reactors.
• The challenge of safely storing nuclear waste remains, as it must be stored deep underground, where it will sit for millions of years.

What are opponents saying?

• Critics of Germany's decision believe it is short-sighted and will contribute to growing global warming and carbon emissions. Nuclear energy is one of the most reliable low-carbon sources of energy in use. 
• There have been last-minute pleas to keep the nuclear plants running as Germany and Europe have been facing an energy crisis due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Critics of the decommissioning worry that it will bolster Germany's reliance on Russian gas and oil. 
• Leah Stokes, a professor of climate and energy policy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said that coal and oil might cover the energy deficits left by the closure of nuclear power plants. She continued: 

"We need to keep existing, safe nuclear reactors operating while simultaneously ramping up renewables as fast as possible." 

• Bavaria's conservative governor, Markus Soeder, said:

"While many countries in the world are even expanding nuclear power, Germany is doing the opposite. We need every possible form of energy. Otherwise, we risk higher electricity prices and businesses moving away."

What's next?

• Germany promised to close its last coal-fired power plant by 2038. It aims to source 80% of its energy needs from renewable sources by the end of the decade.
• Germany is still trying to establish a waste disposal site for the 2,000 containers of highly radioactive waste.

Should the U.S. decommission its nuclear power plants? Is nuclear a threat or an opportunity?

—Emma Kansiz 

(Photo Credit: Pexels/Markus Distelrath)