The European Commissioner for the Internal Market calls on the German government to “get out of ideology”.
European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton on Saturday, on France Inter radio, called on the German government to “get out of ideology» and to be extended by «a year or two» the operation of the last three nuclear power plants in the country, which are scheduled to close by the end of this year.
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There are growing calls for the German government to reconsider its position on the operation of the last nuclear power plants in operation in the country, while the latter is faced with the risk of disruption of energy supply in the face of the gradual reduction of Russian gas deliveries. “There are still three nuclear power plants operating in Germany, this corresponds to 25% of their electricity consumption. Rather than deciding to cut them at the end of the year as provided for in the coalition agreements, we can perhaps say to ourselves that we will continue them for one or two years in order to solve this problem.“, estimated Thierry Breton.
According to the French commissioner, it is essential to “get out of ideology and make sure that we are well aware of today’s necessities while keeping in mind the (European) green agenda which is absolutely essential“. Between “continue a nuclear power plant for a year or two and reopen coal-fired power plants, I who am a fervent defender of the green deal know where I prefer to go“, affirmed Thierry Breton. While he understands the concerns expressed, the former minister nevertheless recalled that Germany surrendered “hand and foot linked to Russia by cutting 23 nuclear power plants overnight in 2011after the Fukushima disaster.
Debate in Germany
On Wednesday, the German government once again rejected the option of extending the operation of nuclear power plants still in operation, “mainly for security reasons“, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Environment. But the subject is causing tension within the ruling coalition, with Liberal Finance Minister Christian Lindner asking for his part “an open debate without ideology” On the question.
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Discussions that do happen, however “too lateAccording to the boss of the first German energy group, RWE, Markus Krebber, between the difficulty of quickly finding the necessary fuels and the question of security checks. To compensate for the decline in Russian gas flows, the German government has already decided to announce increased use of coal-fired power stations.
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