Split
Counter-decree: In Germany, two of the three nuclear power plants that are still active will remain in operation after December 31, the deadline for the final phase-out of nuclear energy. The message came yesterday directly from the Economics Minister, the Green Robert Habeck. Months in which studies, analysis, reports and insights are accessed. Until a few days ago, the minister ensured that the country could do without the most modern power plants despite everything. And only a few weeks ago, at a press conference, Habeck presented a solution that could not be defined creatively: Two rectors would have been switched off, one would have been disconnected from the network, but remained active in order to be able to cope with any emergencies. And the unexpected seems to have happened: it seems that France is still struggling with its nuclear power plants and may not be able to secure the agreed energy contribution. Therefore, two reactors located in the south will remain in operation until April next year. It is reviled that the one in the north-west, in Lower Saxony, is being closed because local elections are coming up soon (October 9) and Habeck doesn’t want any problems with his electorate.
So the French problems become German ones. For real? War has been raging in the east for over seven months, the federal government is promoting and supporting initiatives and sanctions against its most important energy supplier, Habeck himself has been traveling around the world for months in search of alternative solutions and now it’s the end of September, would the problem be France? Frankly, the minister’s decision must seem incomprehensible: many have reiterated for months that the three reactors must be kept in operation. And not out of ideological anger or to question the timing of the nuclear phase-out: when we’re low on energy, it’s good to immediately keep all available sources. No one is demanding the construction of new facilities that will not bring useful results for the next ten years. But what’s the point of shutting down the remaining three during the worst energy crisis in years? And yesterday’s message, “We had a constructive discussion with the plant management”, after months of back and forth, you can’t help but smile so as not to cry.
Habeck clearly made at least two mistakes. First, he promised to investigate the matter with the experts. He designated commissions for studies, analyses, reports. Of course, the matter is complicated and the question needs to be studied. Two weeks ago he presented the studies on the strength of the power system: As already mentioned, according to the minister, Germany could also do without the three reactors. “Nice find,” someone murmured. But if there is an energy supply crisis, if prices are going up, wouldn’t it be better to keep them going anyway? Here’s the first mistake: Instead of immediately neutralizing the ideological conflict and acknowledging that a few more months of operation of the three nuclear power plants would have no negative impact on the environment or future government policy, Habeck did what German politicians usually do. In other words, delegate the decision to (seemingly) technical bodies. And underneath slowly trying to convey his idea. The game didn’t work out and has been in the crossfire for months: the question has now become a means of evening the score in the same governing coalition.
And here we come to the second mistake that Habeck shares with the liberal Minister of Finance Lindner. In the face of such a crisis, the coalition is called upon to review its program. Set new priorities. The impression is that people in Berlin are sticking to the coalition agreement of November 2021, written and signed in a completely different world. It is simply a lack of common sense to think that in today’s world, the impact of Putin’s war on Ukraine, three four, even one more year of operation of the three nuclear reactors will alter the country’s goal of becoming a fully carbon neutral economy by 2040 And the talks between Habeck and Lindner are a signal: they are arguing about everything, from atom to roof to gas, that Lindner has been fighting for weeks and is now about to be approved. In fact, according to the bad guys, it is the bargaining chip that Lindner pays to keep the three plants running. The government seems to be unaware that the new challenge requires a different political culture.