Germany's decision to phase out nuclear energy culminated in the shutdown of its last three reactors in April 2023, marking the end of a nuclear era that spanned over six decades.

This move was heavily influenced by historical events such as the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the Fukushima disaster in 2011, which heightened public concerns about nuclear safety and led to political commitments to denuclearization.

Safety concerns, including the challenge of safely storing radioactive waste, were central to Germany's decision, with the government initiating a nationwide search for a permanent repository for high-level waste in 2017.

The nuclear phaseout has sparked criticism due to increased reliance on coal and natural gas, raising concerns about higher carbon emissions and energy costs.

Germany's energy crisis has been exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war, which disrupted natural gas supplies and reignited debates about extending the operation of nuclear plants.

Public opinion has shifted significantly, with polls showing that a majority of Germans now support restarting nuclear power to reduce electricity prices and carbon emissions.

Despite these pressures, the German government remains committed to its renewable energy goals, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2045 and transitioning to a fully renewable electricity grid by 2035.

Germany's stance contrasts sharply with France, where nuclear energy remains a cornerstone of the energy mix and is seen as essential for the green transition.

Critics argue that Germany's decision to abandon nuclear energy could undermine global efforts to reduce fossil fuel dependency and harm its industrial competitiveness due to rising electricity costs.

While some experts suggest that restarting nuclear plants could be feasible and beneficial, the German government has so far resisted calls to reverse its phaseout policy.

Germany's decision to phase out nuclear energy culminated in the shutdown of its last three reactors in April 2023, marking the end of a nuclear era that spanned over six decades.

Title:

Content: Home / News / World /  Germany quits nuclear power; shuts final 3 plants
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Germany has shut its final three nuclear plants, marking the end of the country's end of nuclear era that has spanned more than 60 years.

Nuclear power has long been contentious in Germany.

The move has come as Germany's eyes achieve its green goal. Steffi Lemke, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection and a Green Party member, "The position of the German government is clear: nuclear power is not green. Nor is it sustainable".

Closure of three nuclear plant's history:

Germany shut three plants-- Emsland, Isar 2, and Neckarwestheim, representing the culmination of a plan set in motion more than 20 years ago.

During the 1970s, a strong anti-nuclear movement emerged in Germany. The movement gave birth to the green party, which is now part of governing coalition.

However, it was in the 2000s the German government pledged to phase out nuclear power and start shutting down plants.

But in 2009, a new government came to power and it seemed brief as if nuclear would get a reprieve as a bridging technology to help the country move to renewable energy.

Then Fukushima happened. In 2011, an earthquake and tsunami caused three reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant to melt down.

Three days later then-Chancellor Angela Merkel who was previously pro-nuclear, announced Germany would accelerate a nuclear phase-out, with older plants shuttered immediately.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine provided another plot twist.

Germany isn’t the only country committed to walking away from nuclear — Italy gave up the technology in 1990, and Lithuania recently struck a deal to dismantle its Soviet-era reactors, which have sat idle for over a decade. But in many advanced economies, nuclear is experiencing a resurgence.

On Sunday, Finland will start regular power production at Europe’s newest and biggest reactor. The 1,600-megawatt Olkiluoto-3 unit that faced years of delays had been planned to enter commercial production on Monday. France is planning to build at least six new reactors by 2050 as well as experiment with smaller, modular ones. The UK has similar ambitions. And even in Japan, after a decade of paralysis following the nuclear accident in Fukushima, the public is warming up to the use of nuclear power. The Japanese government wants to restart reactors that have sat idle since the disaster and to extend the lifespan of existing units.

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This move was heavily influenced by historical events such as the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the Fukushima disaster in 2011, which heightened public concerns about nuclear safety and led to political commitments to denuclearization.

Title:

Content: Read the history of the moment: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power? | German News | DW | 14.04.2023
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German News
Read the history of the present: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power?
Germany was proud of its nuclear power generation technology, but at the same time the technology has been so controversial that it has finally decided that April 15, 2023 is the date of withdrawal from nuclear power.
However, as the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war continues to intensify, the wisdom of the decision to say goodbye to nuclear energy has been widely discussed.
Germany ’ s nuclear policy is in dispute again
It all started with an "egg" - Germany's first nuclear reactor in Garching, near Munich, went into operation in October 1957.
Because the nuclear reactor, which belongs to the University of Munich, resembles an egg, it is nicknamed the "atomic egg".
It was a milestone in Germany's nuclear energy research and a symbol of Germany's resurgence after World War II.
The nuclear reactor, which was used for scientific purposes, remained in operation until 2000.
In 1957, Germany built its first nuclear reactor.
Three years later, in 1960, the first nuclear power plant for civilian use was built in the city of Kahl, on the banks of the Main River in Bavaria.
At that time, atomic energy was widely regarded as both safe and reliable. The 1973 oil crisis gave further impetus to the rapid development of nuclear energy in Germany.
The start of the anti-nuclear movement
Since it has been impossible to find a foolproof way to store nuclear waste, opponents have begun to question whether nuclear energy is really a clean energy source.
Thousands of protesters clashed with police during the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Shihe.
Since the 1970s, plans for the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant have triggered numerous police and civil conflicts.
"Nuclear energy? No, thank you!" has become a rallying cry for environmentalists.
In the 1980s, a new political party, the Green Party, emerged in West Germany. Its members are mainly leftists, pacifists, environmentalists and anti-nuclear forces. In 1983, the Green Party entered the Bundestag.
In 1983, Green Party politicians Gert Bastian and Petra Kelly were elected to the Bundestag.
On March 28, 1979, a serious accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, United States. On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union, exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Radiation clouds spread throughout Europe.
The accident also marked a turning point in discussions about nuclear technology in Germany.
At the time, Germany was still divided.
In East Germany under the Communist Party, the public received almost no information about the nuclear accident and its effects.
West Germany, on the other hand, was in a state of confusion and politicians were helpless.
People were unprepared for a nuclear leak, and the government was unable to provide guidelines and response strategies for the time being.
A hastily formed crisis management team was also disbanded shortly afterwards.
The Chernobyl nuclear accident has caused widespread concern in Germany.
People are buying iodine.
A large quantity of fruit, vegetables and milk in the supermarket was ordered to be removed from the shelves because of concerns about nuclear radiation.
Children were banned from playing in the sand pools and citizens were warned not to go out in the rain.
Although the health effects of radiation were not detected in Germany, the accident led to the introduction of nationwide radiation monitoring in Germany, which eventually led to the establishment of the Federal Ministry of the Environment.
Plans to build a nuclear waste treatment plant in the Bavarian town of Wackersdorf have sparked serious riots.
The clashes left several protesters and civil servants dead and hundreds injured.
The project was finally halted in 1989, the first major victory of the German environmental movement.
And...
In 2011, protesters handcuffed themselves to the tracks in an attempt to block trains carrying nuclear waste.
Meanwhile, in northern Germany, Gorleben in Lower Saxony became a symbol of the struggle against nuclear waste, and the town was designated to temporarily store nuclear waste until a permanent storage site was identified.
The first shipment of nuclear waste arrived in the town on 24 April 1995.
A long farewell to nuclear power - Germany's nuclear withdrawal process after many setbacks
In 2001, Schroeder's center-left coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party reached an agreement with major energy companies to phase out nuclear power.
All 19 nuclear power plants in Germany have been given operating timelines and the last one is required to be shut down by 2021.
In 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced that Germany would phase out nuclear power generation.
In 2010, the center-right government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel withdrew the nuclear withdrawal agreement.
It also decided to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants.
However, the third major nuclear accident in the world has caused a change in Germany's nuclear energy policy. On March 11, 2011, the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
The impact of the accident on Germany is even greater than that of Japan.
As a veteran physicist, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly changed her usual stance on nuclear energy policy.
Merkel suddenly announced that the era of nuclear power in Germany will end by the end of 2022. On July 30, 2011, the German Bundestag voted to approve the resolution.
After years of fierce fighting, the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Ishih will finally become history in 2021 after 35 years of operation.
In 2017, Germany decided to start a nationwide search for a safe place to store highly radioactive nuclear waste, with the mission to be completed by 2031.
At the end of 2021, anti-nuclear activists celebrated the closure of a nuclear power plant in North Germany.
Rethinking the nuclear policy.
The war in Ukraine has made Germany anxious to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, which has also reignited the already ironclad policy of denuclearization.
The coalition leader has spearheaded a proposal to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants to replace natural gas from Russia with nuclear power.
In August 2022, CDU Chairman Meltz and CSU Chairman Soder both put forward the idea of extending the time limit for nuclear power operations.
Christian Lindner, finance minister of the business-oriented Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), immediately backed a return to nuclear power.
His party is junior partner in a centre-left coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens.
The latter will find it difficult to agree to an extension because opposition to nuclear power is one of their core issues.
But in the summer of 2022, no one in Germany completely ruled out that possibility.
LDP finance minister Lindner, who is focused on business interests, was also quick to join the pro-nuclear camp.
But for the Green Party, which is also part of the ruling coalition, the possibility of agreeing to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants is slim, because opposition to nuclear power is their basic principle.
Anything is possible in Germany in 2022.
Can nuclear power be a climate savior?
Editor: This article was originally published in August 2022
© 2022 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.
DW.COM

Safety concerns, including the challenge of safely storing radioactive waste, were central to Germany's decision, with the government initiating a nationwide search for a permanent repository for high-level waste in 2017.

The nuclear phaseout has sparked criticism due to increased reliance on coal and natural gas, raising concerns about higher carbon emissions and energy costs.

Title:

Content: Three nuclear-fired power plants will be taken off the grid in Germany on Friday as part of the country's plan to end atomic power.

"The nuclear phaseout makes our country safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste," said Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke.

"It is now essential to ... advance the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste as well as permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste," the environment ministry said.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel speeded up the phaseout following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

Friday's shutdown affects power plants in Brokdorf in Schleswig-Holstein, Grohnde in Lower Saxony and Gundremmingen C in Bavaria.

Germany's remaining three nuclear plants — Emsland in Lower Saxony, Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — will be closed by the end of 2022 "at the latest," the environment ministry said.

"Since 2011, Germany has been drawing a line under a highly problematic technology in an orderly, reliable process," Lemke said.

Nuclear accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production. The shutdown has sparked criticism as Germany will have to dramatically ramp up renewable energy and has also increased its reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power.

"Security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed," said Robert Habeck, federal climate and economy minister. He added that reliable and "sustainably generated electricity" is a "central requirement for aligning our economy and industry toward climate neutrality."

That stance puts Berlin at loggerheads with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix (and also helps supply Germany).

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in September that existing nuclear plants, which provide low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition, can be kept running "for two, five, 10 years," adding: "Why deprive ourselves of this production capacity?"

France is planning to scale down the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035, but President Emmanuel Macron said in November that France "will restart the construction of nuclear reactors" while "continuing to develop renewable energies."

Macron also said France will invest €1 billion into research and development, notably into small modular reactors.

Belgium recently decided to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2025, but plans to invest €100 million in new generation nuclear reactors and research.

More from ... Louise Guillot

Germany's energy crisis has been exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war, which disrupted natural gas supplies and reignited debates about extending the operation of nuclear plants.

Public opinion has shifted significantly, with polls showing that a majority of Germans now support restarting nuclear power to reduce electricity prices and carbon emissions.

Title:

Content: World Vision: Restarting nuclear power, dragging the German government into crisis
November 06, 2022 00: 03
Eastern Network Television
More News Clips
With Germany following the NATO sanctions against Russia, the German energy crisis is deepening and leading to serious political instability.
The gold-painted sign “Made in Germany ” has been peeled off. First, the business community complained about the high price of electricity in Germany, averaging 0.37 euros per kilowatt-hour (kWh), compared with 0.18 euros in France, 0.24 euros in the United Kingdom and 0.10 euros in Hungary.
Even if the German government proposed energy subsidies, but other European governments such as Britain and France will do so, German companies still can not compete. The result is that more and more industrial products that Germany was proud of in the past, either set up factories in foreign countries or import some foreign parts to complete in Germany.
In addition, some townships began to have problems with the opening up and strengthening of thermal power generation and transmission, and now there are rare power outages, which have caused great dissatisfaction among the public.
The Minister of Economy and Deputy Prime Minister Hajbek have become the target of attacks by the industrial sector, the German opposition, and the Liberal and Social Democrats in the government, focusing on Habek, who has no economic expertise but is responsible for the environmental ideology, and the government ’ s lack of understanding and compassion for industry, and has been deceiving the three nuclear power plants.
Halbek has always stressed that the German people have long been the majority of anti-nuclear power, but the latest poll shows that 64% of the people support restarting nuclear power to increase supply and reduce electricity prices due to the energy crisis, with 40% of the Green Party voters.
In addition, the Green Party has spoken out in favor of improving climate change, but has been hiding experts ’ suggestions that turning on nuclear power could cut Germany ’ s carbon emissions by 25 million to 30 million tons a year.
In addition, Halbek stressed that the nuclear fuel rods needed for the nuclear power plant may not be available by early next year, but the expert opinion is that the old nuclear fuel rods can also be used and the nuclear power plant can be gradually opened.
Halbek stressed that it would take a long time to open the safety inspection of nuclear power, but the world-famous German Technical Supervision Association immediately hit the face, claiming that they did a comprehensive inspection in March, all three nuclear power plants are normal, as long as limited further testing and monitoring, restart is not a problem at all.
The opposition party also criticized the three-party coalition government for delaying the setting of a gas price cap until March next year. At that time, the weather in Germany has begun to warm up. As a result, the opposition party and the public demand that Habaker resign, which can be regarded as the ruling coalition's biggest crisis to date.
Ph.D., Freie Universität Berlin

Despite these pressures, the German government remains committed to its renewable energy goals, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2045 and transitioning to a fully renewable electricity grid by 2035.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
EXPRESS: Germany ’ s exit from atomic energy sector affects Europe ’ s largest economy
Germany ’ s closure of the country ’ s last three nuclear reactors and its eventual exit from the atomic energy sector raises concerns about the impact of the decision on the European Union ’ s largest economy.
Germany ’ s action could deal a blow to the technology they see as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.
Berlin is implementing its plan to limit electricity generation to renewable sources by 2035.
Earlier this week, Germany shut down its last three nuclear power plants as part of Berlin's plan to limit power generation to renewables by 2035, ending a six-decade programme that has sparked one of Europe's most powerful protest movements.
Other industrialized countries, such as the United States, Japan, China, France and Britain, rely on nuclear power to replace the fossil fuels that are warming the planet, and Germany ’ s decision to stop using both has been met with some skepticism, as well as unsuccessful last-minute calls to halt the shutdown, the report said.
Nuclear energy advocates around the world have criticized the German shutdown, realizing that the action taken by Europe ’ s largest economy could deal a blow to technology they see as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.
The German government has acknowledged that in the short term, the country will have to rely more on polluting coal and natural gas to meet its energy needs, even as steps are taken to dramatically increase electricity production from solar and wind power, and Germany aims to be carbon neutral by 2045.
But officials like German Environment Minister Stevie Lemke say the idea of a nuclear renaissance is a myth, citing data showing that the share of atomic energy in global electricity production is shrinking.
The construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns.
Limki noted that the construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns, and said the money spent on maintaining old reactors or building new ones would be better spent on installing cheap renewables.
Experts such as Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin say the 5% share of German electricity currently coming from its three remaining reactors can be easily replaced without risking power outages.

Germany's stance contrasts sharply with France, where nuclear energy remains a cornerstone of the energy mix and is seen as essential for the green transition.

Critics argue that Germany's decision to abandon nuclear energy could undermine global efforts to reduce fossil fuel dependency and harm its industrial competitiveness due to rising electricity costs.

While some experts suggest that restarting nuclear plants could be feasible and beneficial, the German government has so far resisted calls to reverse its phaseout policy.


Germany's first nuclear reactor, nicknamed the 'atomic egg,' began operation in 1957 and symbolized the country's post-war resurgence.

The 1973 oil crisis accelerated the development of nuclear energy in Germany, as atomic energy was seen as a safe and reliable alternative to fossil fuels at the time.

Opposition to nuclear energy in Germany grew during the 1970s due to concerns about the inability to safely store nuclear waste, leading to protests and clashes during the construction of nuclear facilities.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 marked a turning point in Germany's discussions about nuclear technology, leading to widespread public concern and the establishment of nationwide radiation monitoring systems.

Germany's anti-nuclear movement gained momentum in the 1980s, with the Green Party emerging as a political force advocating for environmentalism and denuclearization.

In 2001, Germany's center-left coalition government agreed to phase out nuclear power, setting timelines for the closure of all nuclear plants by 2021.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted German Chancellor Angela Merkel to reverse her stance on nuclear energy and announce the end of nuclear power in Germany by 2022.

Germany pledged to phase out nuclear power in the 2000s and began shutting down plants as part of this commitment.

Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an earlier decision to extend the life of Germany’s nuclear plants until 2036, setting the phase-out date to 2022 after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

Germany decided to withdraw from nuclear power on April 15, 2023, amidst ongoing debates about the wisdom of this decision during an energy crisis exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Germany’s last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down, marking a significant moment in a country with longstanding doubts about atomic energy.

Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke stated that the nuclear phaseout makes Germany safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste.

Germany's environment ministry emphasized the importance of advancing the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste and permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste.

Germany began a nationwide search for a safe storage site for highly radioactive nuclear waste in 2017, with the goal of completing the mission by 2031.

Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection stated that nuclear power is neither green nor sustainable.

German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke argues that the idea of a nuclear renaissance is a myth, citing a shrinking share of atomic energy in global electricity production.

Nuclear energy accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production, and its shutdown has sparked criticism due to increased reliance on coal-fired power and the need to ramp up renewable energy.

Germany's closure of its last three nuclear reactors raises concerns about the impact on the European Union's largest economy.

The German government acknowledges that in the short term, the country will rely more on polluting coal and natural gas to meet energy needs.

Electricity prices in Germany average 0.37 euros per kilowatt-hour, significantly higher than in France (0.18 euros), the United Kingdom (0.24 euros), and Hungary (0.10 euros).

High electricity prices have led German businesses to relocate factories abroad or import foreign parts for production, weakening Germany's industrial competitiveness.

Some German towns are experiencing rare power outages due to issues with thermal power generation and transmission, causing public dissatisfaction.

The German Minister of Economy and Deputy Prime Minister, Robert Habeck, has faced criticism for prioritizing environmental ideology over economic concerns.

The Russian-Ukrainian war has reignited debates in Germany about extending the operation of nuclear power plants to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas.

A recent poll shows that 64% of Germans, including 40% of Green Party voters, support restarting nuclear power to increase supply and reduce electricity prices.

Experts suggest that restarting nuclear power could reduce Germany's carbon emissions by 25 to 30 million tons annually.

Public opinion in Germany shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War, with an August 2022 poll showing 67% of Germans supported a five-year extension of nuclear plants and 41% supported building new ones.

The German Green Party, part of the coalition government, only agreed to postpone the nuclear shutdown for a few months to address the winter energy crisis.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine added complexity to Germany's energy situation, influencing its energy supply dynamics.

Anti-nuclear activists celebrated the shutdown of three reactors as a victory, following a temporary delay caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war and the search for alternatives to Russian gas.

Critics view the shutdown of Germany’s nuclear plants as reckless, given Europe’s precarious energy supply and global efforts to reduce fossil fuel usage.

Germany is experiencing a deepening energy crisis due to its adherence to NATO sanctions against Russia, leading to political instability.

The opposition has criticized the government for delaying the implementation of a gas price cap until March, which coincides with the end of winter.

Federal Climate and Economy Minister Robert Habeck assured that security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed and emphasized the importance of sustainably generated electricity for climate neutrality.

Germany plans to limit electricity generation to renewable sources by 2035.

Germany aims to be carbon neutral by 2045, with plans to dramatically increase electricity production from solar and wind power.

Germany's stance on nuclear energy contrasts with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix and also helps supply Germany.

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton argued that existing nuclear plants providing low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition could be kept running for several years.

France plans to reduce the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035 but will restart the construction of nuclear reactors while continuing to develop renewable energies.

The construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns.

Experts like Claudia Kemfert suggest that the 5% share of German electricity from the last three reactors can be replaced without risking power outages.

The German Technical Supervision Association stated that the three nuclear power plants were comprehensively inspected in March and could be restarted with limited further testing and monitoring.

Nuclear energy advocates argue that Germany's decision could harm a technology seen as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.

Germany's first nuclear reactor, nicknamed the 'atomic egg,' began operation in 1957 and symbolized the country's post-war resurgence.

Title:

Content: Read the history of the moment: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power? | German News | DW | 14.04.2023
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German News
Read the history of the present: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power?
Germany was proud of its nuclear power generation technology, but at the same time the technology has been so controversial that it has finally decided that April 15, 2023 is the date of withdrawal from nuclear power.
However, as the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war continues to intensify, the wisdom of the decision to say goodbye to nuclear energy has been widely discussed.
Germany ’ s nuclear policy is in dispute again
It all started with an "egg" - Germany's first nuclear reactor in Garching, near Munich, went into operation in October 1957.
Because the nuclear reactor, which belongs to the University of Munich, resembles an egg, it is nicknamed the "atomic egg".
It was a milestone in Germany's nuclear energy research and a symbol of Germany's resurgence after World War II.
The nuclear reactor, which was used for scientific purposes, remained in operation until 2000.
In 1957, Germany built its first nuclear reactor.
Three years later, in 1960, the first nuclear power plant for civilian use was built in the city of Kahl, on the banks of the Main River in Bavaria.
At that time, atomic energy was widely regarded as both safe and reliable. The 1973 oil crisis gave further impetus to the rapid development of nuclear energy in Germany.
The start of the anti-nuclear movement
Since it has been impossible to find a foolproof way to store nuclear waste, opponents have begun to question whether nuclear energy is really a clean energy source.
Thousands of protesters clashed with police during the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Shihe.
Since the 1970s, plans for the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant have triggered numerous police and civil conflicts.
"Nuclear energy? No, thank you!" has become a rallying cry for environmentalists.
In the 1980s, a new political party, the Green Party, emerged in West Germany. Its members are mainly leftists, pacifists, environmentalists and anti-nuclear forces. In 1983, the Green Party entered the Bundestag.
In 1983, Green Party politicians Gert Bastian and Petra Kelly were elected to the Bundestag.
On March 28, 1979, a serious accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, United States. On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union, exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Radiation clouds spread throughout Europe.
The accident also marked a turning point in discussions about nuclear technology in Germany.
At the time, Germany was still divided.
In East Germany under the Communist Party, the public received almost no information about the nuclear accident and its effects.
West Germany, on the other hand, was in a state of confusion and politicians were helpless.
People were unprepared for a nuclear leak, and the government was unable to provide guidelines and response strategies for the time being.
A hastily formed crisis management team was also disbanded shortly afterwards.
The Chernobyl nuclear accident has caused widespread concern in Germany.
People are buying iodine.
A large quantity of fruit, vegetables and milk in the supermarket was ordered to be removed from the shelves because of concerns about nuclear radiation.
Children were banned from playing in the sand pools and citizens were warned not to go out in the rain.
Although the health effects of radiation were not detected in Germany, the accident led to the introduction of nationwide radiation monitoring in Germany, which eventually led to the establishment of the Federal Ministry of the Environment.
Plans to build a nuclear waste treatment plant in the Bavarian town of Wackersdorf have sparked serious riots.
The clashes left several protesters and civil servants dead and hundreds injured.
The project was finally halted in 1989, the first major victory of the German environmental movement.
And...
In 2011, protesters handcuffed themselves to the tracks in an attempt to block trains carrying nuclear waste.
Meanwhile, in northern Germany, Gorleben in Lower Saxony became a symbol of the struggle against nuclear waste, and the town was designated to temporarily store nuclear waste until a permanent storage site was identified.
The first shipment of nuclear waste arrived in the town on 24 April 1995.
A long farewell to nuclear power - Germany's nuclear withdrawal process after many setbacks
In 2001, Schroeder's center-left coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party reached an agreement with major energy companies to phase out nuclear power.
All 19 nuclear power plants in Germany have been given operating timelines and the last one is required to be shut down by 2021.
In 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced that Germany would phase out nuclear power generation.
In 2010, the center-right government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel withdrew the nuclear withdrawal agreement.
It also decided to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants.
However, the third major nuclear accident in the world has caused a change in Germany's nuclear energy policy. On March 11, 2011, the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
The impact of the accident on Germany is even greater than that of Japan.
As a veteran physicist, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly changed her usual stance on nuclear energy policy.
Merkel suddenly announced that the era of nuclear power in Germany will end by the end of 2022. On July 30, 2011, the German Bundestag voted to approve the resolution.
After years of fierce fighting, the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Ishih will finally become history in 2021 after 35 years of operation.
In 2017, Germany decided to start a nationwide search for a safe place to store highly radioactive nuclear waste, with the mission to be completed by 2031.
At the end of 2021, anti-nuclear activists celebrated the closure of a nuclear power plant in North Germany.
Rethinking the nuclear policy.
The war in Ukraine has made Germany anxious to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, which has also reignited the already ironclad policy of denuclearization.
The coalition leader has spearheaded a proposal to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants to replace natural gas from Russia with nuclear power.
In August 2022, CDU Chairman Meltz and CSU Chairman Soder both put forward the idea of extending the time limit for nuclear power operations.
Christian Lindner, finance minister of the business-oriented Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), immediately backed a return to nuclear power.
His party is junior partner in a centre-left coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens.
The latter will find it difficult to agree to an extension because opposition to nuclear power is one of their core issues.
But in the summer of 2022, no one in Germany completely ruled out that possibility.
LDP finance minister Lindner, who is focused on business interests, was also quick to join the pro-nuclear camp.
But for the Green Party, which is also part of the ruling coalition, the possibility of agreeing to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants is slim, because opposition to nuclear power is their basic principle.
Anything is possible in Germany in 2022.
Can nuclear power be a climate savior?
Editor: This article was originally published in August 2022
© 2022 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.
DW.COM

The 1973 oil crisis accelerated the development of nuclear energy in Germany, as atomic energy was seen as a safe and reliable alternative to fossil fuels at the time.

Opposition to nuclear energy in Germany grew during the 1970s due to concerns about the inability to safely store nuclear waste, leading to protests and clashes during the construction of nuclear facilities.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 marked a turning point in Germany's discussions about nuclear technology, leading to widespread public concern and the establishment of nationwide radiation monitoring systems.

Germany's anti-nuclear movement gained momentum in the 1980s, with the Green Party emerging as a political force advocating for environmentalism and denuclearization.

In 2001, Germany's center-left coalition government agreed to phase out nuclear power, setting timelines for the closure of all nuclear plants by 2021.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted German Chancellor Angela Merkel to reverse her stance on nuclear energy and announce the end of nuclear power in Germany by 2022.

Germany pledged to phase out nuclear power in the 2000s and began shutting down plants as part of this commitment.

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Content: Home / News / World /  Germany quits nuclear power; shuts final 3 plants
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Germany has shut its final three nuclear plants, marking the end of the country's end of nuclear era that has spanned more than 60 years.

Nuclear power has long been contentious in Germany.

The move has come as Germany's eyes achieve its green goal. Steffi Lemke, Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection and a Green Party member, "The position of the German government is clear: nuclear power is not green. Nor is it sustainable".

Closure of three nuclear plant's history:

Germany shut three plants-- Emsland, Isar 2, and Neckarwestheim, representing the culmination of a plan set in motion more than 20 years ago.

During the 1970s, a strong anti-nuclear movement emerged in Germany. The movement gave birth to the green party, which is now part of governing coalition.

However, it was in the 2000s the German government pledged to phase out nuclear power and start shutting down plants.

But in 2009, a new government came to power and it seemed brief as if nuclear would get a reprieve as a bridging technology to help the country move to renewable energy.

Then Fukushima happened. In 2011, an earthquake and tsunami caused three reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant to melt down.

Three days later then-Chancellor Angela Merkel who was previously pro-nuclear, announced Germany would accelerate a nuclear phase-out, with older plants shuttered immediately.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine provided another plot twist.

Germany isn’t the only country committed to walking away from nuclear — Italy gave up the technology in 1990, and Lithuania recently struck a deal to dismantle its Soviet-era reactors, which have sat idle for over a decade. But in many advanced economies, nuclear is experiencing a resurgence.

On Sunday, Finland will start regular power production at Europe’s newest and biggest reactor. The 1,600-megawatt Olkiluoto-3 unit that faced years of delays had been planned to enter commercial production on Monday. France is planning to build at least six new reactors by 2050 as well as experiment with smaller, modular ones. The UK has similar ambitions. And even in Japan, after a decade of paralysis following the nuclear accident in Fukushima, the public is warming up to the use of nuclear power. The Japanese government wants to restart reactors that have sat idle since the disaster and to extend the lifespan of existing units.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an earlier decision to extend the life of Germany’s nuclear plants until 2036, setting the phase-out date to 2022 after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

Title:

Content: “There is no excuse for the rich West to be oblivious to the global debt crisis. ” – The Guardian
We start with an opinion piece by Larry Elliott, the Guardian ’ s economic editor, entitled “The wealthy West has little excuse for finally waking up to the global debt crisis. ”
“After a decade or more of their obsession with their own problems, countries in the wealthy West have begun to pay attention to the threat of a looming debt crisis in the poorer parts of the world, ” he says at a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington this week.
The good news is that debt has risen to the highest level on the policy agenda and is seen as a problem that needs to be regulated, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said about the need for distressed countries to help: “Help them deal with the debt burden, which has made the shocks of past years more difficult; and help ensure that the IMF can continue to support them in the years to come. ”
The bad news, according to Elliott, is that Georgieva ’ s appeal has not yet been heeded, as rich countries are still primarily interested in their own problems.
The geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China is also not helping.
Creditor countries may wake up to the idea that there is a debt problem but it is far from a solution.
Talk is not like work. ”
Achim Steiner, director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said: “There are more than 50 countries on his radar that can default very quickly. ”
Steiner believes that the UN has no chance of meeting its ambitious 2030 development goals, unless there is urgent action.
The volume of lending by the private sector has made attempts to restructure or write off debt more complex than in the past.
At the time of the HIPC initiative, creditors tended to be either individual governments or multilateral organizations such as the World Bank.
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“But since the global financial crisis, many countries, especially middle-income countries, have borrowed heavily in financial markets, taking advantage of very low interest rates to finance domestic projects. ”
After the setback of the COVID-19 epidemic, low- and middle-income countries have since been hit by two other undesirable shocks: the war in Ukraine, which led to higher food and fuel prices, and the sharp increase in central bank interest rates in large Western economies.
The result is that debt servicing has become much more expensive, with many countries now frozen out of financial markets altogether.
Steiner said: "The issue is not financial but political.
The United States has mobilized $400 billion to secure Silicon Valley Bank deposits.
This is more than the developing world has received in three years.
It took the Swiss government less than 48 hours to find 100 billion Swiss francs to secure the rescue of one of its banks.
“The lesson of the recent banking crises is clear.
Rich countries can act fast enough when they want to, ” the writer concludes.
Fears of Macron ’ s politics
We turn to another Financial Times opinion piece by Alain Beatty, a trade writer, entitled “The Risks of Emmanuel Macron ’ s Strategic Insistence. ”
Macron ’ s focus on keeping a distance from both Washington and Beijing in pursuit of the EU ’ s vague “strategic autonomy ” is not an innovation among European policymakers, but geopolitical Europe enthusiasts need to recognize that the lack of unity and trust within the EU, rather than the sinister manipulation by Washington and Beijing, is the main obstacle.
“We ’ ve already seen this happen in trade policy, which is one area where the EU has long had the ability to act collectively.
In the same way that there is nothing stopping European governments from increasing military spending and playing a greater geopolitical role, the bloc can certainly increase its ability to use trade to project its strategic influence.
But while France has been keen to create new tools for intervening in trade and investment, other member states recognize that the views and interests of Paris are not necessarily those of the bloc as a whole.
“In recent years, the European Commission has carefully designed a range of trade instruments to confirm the bloc ’ s geo-economic weight.
The most politically salient is the anti-coercion tool ECI, which will allow the EU to use a wide range of trade and investment measures to retaliate against the bullying of trading partners.
France has strongly supported all this activity, and has also called for the creation of new EU central funds to pursue industrial policy.
“But the Commission will struggle to use this set of tools if there is opposition from other member states that are mindful of their export interests or distrust in using trade tools to manage a centralized strategic policy.
A few days before Macron ’ s trip, the Commission succumbed to pressure from some EU governments, including Germany, and gave member states a major role in determining the use of ECI.
Berlin instinctively avoids confrontation that could damage German exports and investments abroad.
There have also been more principled objections from liberal member states including Sweden and the Czech Republic, sceptical of attempts to politicize trade policy and the likelihood that it will be overly influenced by certain governments.
Macron inadvertently contributed to these concerns, especially as he unnerved some other EU governments two years ago with a clear orientation toward a major investment deal with China, “leaving a legacy of caution. ”
“Attempting to push a union with divergent views to adopt a single approach to a specific global issue is unlikely to produce long-term results. ”
German split on energy policy
We remain with an article by Laura Bettel, the Financial Times correspondent in Berlin, entitled “Germany is being torn apart by energy policy with the closure of nuclear plants. ”
Bethel said Germany ’ s last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down on Saturday, “marking a watershed moment in a country that has long had deep doubts about atomic energy. ”
Anti-nuclear activists hailed the shutdown of three reactors as a victory after a temporary delay following the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war that forced Berlin to look for alternatives to Russian gas.
Critics see the shutdown as an act of madness at a time when Europe ’ s energy supply remains precarious and the world is struggling to stop using fossil fuels.
After decades of anti-nuclear protests, the decisive moment came in 2011 when Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an earlier decision to extend the life of the country ’ s nuclear plants until 2036, bringing the phase-out date to 2022.
The anti-nuclear movement in former West Germany dates back to the 1970s, when a popular campaign succeeded in stopping the construction of a nuclear power plant in the southwestern village of Weil.
The nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island in the United States in 1979 and at Chernobyl in 1986 fuelled that movement.
But German public opinion shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War: an August 2022 poll from Der Spiegel found that 67 percent of Germans supported a five-year extension of the country ’ s nuclear plants.
41% supported the construction of new plants.
In a similar poll three decades ago, only 3% said yes.
But the German Green Party, now part of the three-way coalition government led by Olaf Schulz, only agreed to postpone the shutdown for a few months to fill any gap caused by the winter energy crisis.
“The way in which Germany has chosen to phase out nuclear power, and step back from fossil fuels as a bridging gap even as renewables increase dramatically, has been highly controversial. ”

Germany decided to withdraw from nuclear power on April 15, 2023, amidst ongoing debates about the wisdom of this decision during an energy crisis exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Germany’s last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down, marking a significant moment in a country with longstanding doubts about atomic energy.

Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke stated that the nuclear phaseout makes Germany safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste.

Title:

Content: Three nuclear-fired power plants will be taken off the grid in Germany on Friday as part of the country's plan to end atomic power.

"The nuclear phaseout makes our country safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste," said Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke.

"It is now essential to ... advance the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste as well as permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste," the environment ministry said.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel speeded up the phaseout following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

Friday's shutdown affects power plants in Brokdorf in Schleswig-Holstein, Grohnde in Lower Saxony and Gundremmingen C in Bavaria.

Germany's remaining three nuclear plants — Emsland in Lower Saxony, Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — will be closed by the end of 2022 "at the latest," the environment ministry said.

"Since 2011, Germany has been drawing a line under a highly problematic technology in an orderly, reliable process," Lemke said.

Nuclear accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production. The shutdown has sparked criticism as Germany will have to dramatically ramp up renewable energy and has also increased its reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power.

"Security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed," said Robert Habeck, federal climate and economy minister. He added that reliable and "sustainably generated electricity" is a "central requirement for aligning our economy and industry toward climate neutrality."

That stance puts Berlin at loggerheads with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix (and also helps supply Germany).

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in September that existing nuclear plants, which provide low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition, can be kept running "for two, five, 10 years," adding: "Why deprive ourselves of this production capacity?"

France is planning to scale down the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035, but President Emmanuel Macron said in November that France "will restart the construction of nuclear reactors" while "continuing to develop renewable energies."

Macron also said France will invest €1 billion into research and development, notably into small modular reactors.

Belgium recently decided to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2025, but plans to invest €100 million in new generation nuclear reactors and research.

More from ... Louise Guillot

Germany's environment ministry emphasized the importance of advancing the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste and permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste.

Germany began a nationwide search for a safe storage site for highly radioactive nuclear waste in 2017, with the goal of completing the mission by 2031.

Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment and Consumer Protection stated that nuclear power is neither green nor sustainable.

German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke argues that the idea of a nuclear renaissance is a myth, citing a shrinking share of atomic energy in global electricity production.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
EXPRESS: Germany ’ s exit from atomic energy sector affects Europe ’ s largest economy
Germany ’ s closure of the country ’ s last three nuclear reactors and its eventual exit from the atomic energy sector raises concerns about the impact of the decision on the European Union ’ s largest economy.
Germany ’ s action could deal a blow to the technology they see as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.
Berlin is implementing its plan to limit electricity generation to renewable sources by 2035.
Earlier this week, Germany shut down its last three nuclear power plants as part of Berlin's plan to limit power generation to renewables by 2035, ending a six-decade programme that has sparked one of Europe's most powerful protest movements.
Other industrialized countries, such as the United States, Japan, China, France and Britain, rely on nuclear power to replace the fossil fuels that are warming the planet, and Germany ’ s decision to stop using both has been met with some skepticism, as well as unsuccessful last-minute calls to halt the shutdown, the report said.
Nuclear energy advocates around the world have criticized the German shutdown, realizing that the action taken by Europe ’ s largest economy could deal a blow to technology they see as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.
The German government has acknowledged that in the short term, the country will have to rely more on polluting coal and natural gas to meet its energy needs, even as steps are taken to dramatically increase electricity production from solar and wind power, and Germany aims to be carbon neutral by 2045.
But officials like German Environment Minister Stevie Lemke say the idea of a nuclear renaissance is a myth, citing data showing that the share of atomic energy in global electricity production is shrinking.
The construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns.
Limki noted that the construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns, and said the money spent on maintaining old reactors or building new ones would be better spent on installing cheap renewables.
Experts such as Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin say the 5% share of German electricity currently coming from its three remaining reactors can be easily replaced without risking power outages.

Nuclear energy accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production, and its shutdown has sparked criticism due to increased reliance on coal-fired power and the need to ramp up renewable energy.

Germany's closure of its last three nuclear reactors raises concerns about the impact on the European Union's largest economy.

The German government acknowledges that in the short term, the country will rely more on polluting coal and natural gas to meet energy needs.

Electricity prices in Germany average 0.37 euros per kilowatt-hour, significantly higher than in France (0.18 euros), the United Kingdom (0.24 euros), and Hungary (0.10 euros).

Title:

Content: World Vision: Restarting nuclear power, dragging the German government into crisis
November 06, 2022 00: 03
Eastern Network Television
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With Germany following the NATO sanctions against Russia, the German energy crisis is deepening and leading to serious political instability.
The gold-painted sign “Made in Germany ” has been peeled off. First, the business community complained about the high price of electricity in Germany, averaging 0.37 euros per kilowatt-hour (kWh), compared with 0.18 euros in France, 0.24 euros in the United Kingdom and 0.10 euros in Hungary.
Even if the German government proposed energy subsidies, but other European governments such as Britain and France will do so, German companies still can not compete. The result is that more and more industrial products that Germany was proud of in the past, either set up factories in foreign countries or import some foreign parts to complete in Germany.
In addition, some townships began to have problems with the opening up and strengthening of thermal power generation and transmission, and now there are rare power outages, which have caused great dissatisfaction among the public.
The Minister of Economy and Deputy Prime Minister Hajbek have become the target of attacks by the industrial sector, the German opposition, and the Liberal and Social Democrats in the government, focusing on Habek, who has no economic expertise but is responsible for the environmental ideology, and the government ’ s lack of understanding and compassion for industry, and has been deceiving the three nuclear power plants.
Halbek has always stressed that the German people have long been the majority of anti-nuclear power, but the latest poll shows that 64% of the people support restarting nuclear power to increase supply and reduce electricity prices due to the energy crisis, with 40% of the Green Party voters.
In addition, the Green Party has spoken out in favor of improving climate change, but has been hiding experts ’ suggestions that turning on nuclear power could cut Germany ’ s carbon emissions by 25 million to 30 million tons a year.
In addition, Halbek stressed that the nuclear fuel rods needed for the nuclear power plant may not be available by early next year, but the expert opinion is that the old nuclear fuel rods can also be used and the nuclear power plant can be gradually opened.
Halbek stressed that it would take a long time to open the safety inspection of nuclear power, but the world-famous German Technical Supervision Association immediately hit the face, claiming that they did a comprehensive inspection in March, all three nuclear power plants are normal, as long as limited further testing and monitoring, restart is not a problem at all.
The opposition party also criticized the three-party coalition government for delaying the setting of a gas price cap until March next year. At that time, the weather in Germany has begun to warm up. As a result, the opposition party and the public demand that Habaker resign, which can be regarded as the ruling coalition's biggest crisis to date.
Ph.D., Freie Universität Berlin

High electricity prices have led German businesses to relocate factories abroad or import foreign parts for production, weakening Germany's industrial competitiveness.

Some German towns are experiencing rare power outages due to issues with thermal power generation and transmission, causing public dissatisfaction.

The German Minister of Economy and Deputy Prime Minister, Robert Habeck, has faced criticism for prioritizing environmental ideology over economic concerns.

The Russian-Ukrainian war has reignited debates in Germany about extending the operation of nuclear power plants to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas.

A recent poll shows that 64% of Germans, including 40% of Green Party voters, support restarting nuclear power to increase supply and reduce electricity prices.

Experts suggest that restarting nuclear power could reduce Germany's carbon emissions by 25 to 30 million tons annually.

Public opinion in Germany shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War, with an August 2022 poll showing 67% of Germans supported a five-year extension of nuclear plants and 41% supported building new ones.

The German Green Party, part of the coalition government, only agreed to postpone the nuclear shutdown for a few months to address the winter energy crisis.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine added complexity to Germany's energy situation, influencing its energy supply dynamics.

Anti-nuclear activists celebrated the shutdown of three reactors as a victory, following a temporary delay caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war and the search for alternatives to Russian gas.

Critics view the shutdown of Germany’s nuclear plants as reckless, given Europe’s precarious energy supply and global efforts to reduce fossil fuel usage.

Germany is experiencing a deepening energy crisis due to its adherence to NATO sanctions against Russia, leading to political instability.

The opposition has criticized the government for delaying the implementation of a gas price cap until March, which coincides with the end of winter.

Federal Climate and Economy Minister Robert Habeck assured that security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed and emphasized the importance of sustainably generated electricity for climate neutrality.

Germany plans to limit electricity generation to renewable sources by 2035.

Germany aims to be carbon neutral by 2045, with plans to dramatically increase electricity production from solar and wind power.

Germany's stance on nuclear energy contrasts with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix and also helps supply Germany.

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton argued that existing nuclear plants providing low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition could be kept running for several years.

France plans to reduce the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035 but will restart the construction of nuclear reactors while continuing to develop renewable energies.

The construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns.

Experts like Claudia Kemfert suggest that the 5% share of German electricity from the last three reactors can be replaced without risking power outages.

The German Technical Supervision Association stated that the three nuclear power plants were comprehensively inspected in March and could be restarted with limited further testing and monitoring.

Nuclear energy advocates argue that Germany's decision could harm a technology seen as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.


The International Space Station (ISS) experienced an air leak that was first detected on the night of August 30, 2018, when the crew noticed a pressure drop caused by a hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft's household compartment.

Subsequent leaks were identified in August 2020 and October 2020, with cracks discovered in the middle chamber of the Russian Zvezda module, where the crew had temporarily settled.

Initially, the cracks were thought to have been caused by a miniature meteorite impact, but investigations later revealed they were the result of a manufacturing defect on Earth, with glue used to seal the cracks drying out during orbital flight.

The aging infrastructure of the ISS, built in 1998, has been cited as a contributing factor to recurring technical issues, including the discovery of new cracks as recently as 2021.

To locate the source of the leak, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin used a tea bag, observing the movement of tea leaves toward a metal wall in the Zvezda module.

Temporary measures included isolating the crew in the Zvezda module and closing the hatch in the affected area to ensure the rest of the station remained unaffected.

Repair efforts involved using a special sealant to fill the hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft and later sealing cracks in the Zvezda module with a drill and sealant in March 2021.

Despite the air leakage, which caused a pressure drop of 0.4 mm Hg, the situation posed no risk to the crew or the station, as oxygen and nitrogen were pumped in to compensate for the loss.

A special committee formed by the Russian space agency investigated the incident, ruling out industrial defects as the cause of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft's damage.

The hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft was located in a non-critical area, ensuring it did not threaten the crew's return to Earth.

The International Space Station (ISS) experienced an air leak that was first detected on the night of August 30, 2018, when the crew noticed a pressure drop caused by a hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft's household compartment.

Title:

Content: NASA has excluded the involvement of its astronauts in the hole in the “Union ”
American astronauts are not involved in the appearance of a hole in the household compartment docked to the ISS “Soyuz MS-09 ” in 2018.
This was stated by the assistant head of NASA for manned flights Katie Leeds, commenting on the publication of TASS, in which, with reference to the source, it is reported about the likely drilling of a hole in the ship by astronaut Serina Augnon-Chancellor.
"NASA crew members carry out their missions professionally and honestly.
I support Serina and her professional behavior, and I don't find this accusation credible, "Leaders said.
On the eve of TASS published an anonymous interview with an unnamed top manager of “Roscosmos ”, in which the Agency interlocutor said that Aunyon-Chancellor, being the only woman in the crew, experienced“ acute psychological crisis ”.
The source of the publication explained that, wanting to speed up its return to Earth in connection with the emergency situation, the American drilled a hole that threatened to depressurize the station.
As one of the confirmations of his version, the Agency interlocutor indicated that NASA astronauts refused to pass the test on the “lie detector ”.
According to the source, the hole was drilled in zero gravity.
The crew discovered an air leak on the International Space Station (ISS) on the night of August 30, 2018, which was caused by a hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft.
It was located in the household compartment, not in the lander, so it did not threaten the return of the crew to Earth.
General Director of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin reported that the commission of the rocket and space Corporation (RSC) Energia ruled out the version of damage to the skin of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft as a result of industrial defects.
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Subsequent leaks were identified in August 2020 and October 2020, with cracks discovered in the middle chamber of the Russian Zvezda module, where the crew had temporarily settled.

Title:

Content: Astronauts discover cracks in another module of the International Space Station
Space
International Space Station
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / r64g
Vladimir Solovyov, chief designer at Energia, announced that astronauts have discovered new blind cracks in the Zaria module, the first and oldest module of the International Space Station.
Solovyov, in an interview with the Russian news agency Novosti, pointed out that the astronauts, during their examination of the units of the Russian sector on the International Space Station, discovered the presence of blind cracks in the old unit "Zaria".
According to him, this does not appeal to him, because the discovery of holes in the former Zvezda unit, indicates that the cracks discovered in the Zaria unit over time will inevitably expand.
In September 2019, astronauts detected a slight air leak from the International Space Station, in October 2020 they discovered cracks in the middle chamber of the Russian Zvezda unit, and in March 2021 they were able to repair them.
In January 2021, Solovyov announced that due to air leakage, the pressure inside the ISS drops by 0.4 mm Hg, which is compensated by pumping oxygen and nitrogen as well as transporting them from Earth.
Source: Novosti
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Initially, the cracks were thought to have been caused by a miniature meteorite impact, but investigations later revealed they were the result of a manufacturing defect on Earth, with glue used to seal the cracks drying out during orbital flight.

Title:

Content: Soyuz manufacturing defect causes air leak at International Space Station
Kazakhstan News Agency / Astana / September 3 - According to the Russian satellite network reported on the 3rd, Russian rocket space sources said that the manufacturing defect is the cause of the "Soyuz MS-09" spacecraft leak.
There was an air leak on the International Space Station on August 30.
The astronauts examined all the compartments and found tiny cracks in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft.
It is located in the living module, not in the return module, so it will not affect the return of the spacecraft to Earth.
It was previously thought that the fissure was the result of a miniature meteorite hitting the spacecraft.
The next night, Russian cosmonauts used special sealant to fill the hole.
The source said: "The cause of the crack in the inner shell of the living module has been identified and it has appeared on Earth.
The person responsible for the fault was identified. "
According to another source, the crew likely sealed the leak with special glue after realizing the mistake, so it was not detected during the pre-launch check and the spacecraft ’ s first two months of orbital flight.
"However, the glue later dried out and was squeezed out, revealing cracks," he said.
The Russian space agency said a special committee would investigate and determine the cause of the accident.
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The aging infrastructure of the ISS, built in 1998, has been cited as a contributing factor to recurring technical issues, including the discovery of new cracks as recently as 2021.

Title:

Content: How did a bag of tea help astronauts save $150 billion?
How did a bag of tea help astronauts save $150 billion?
A few years ago, a torn bag helped save the ISS
The International Space Station was built in 1998 for $150 billion.
Every year, another 3-4 billion dollars are spent to maintain its operability, but the design is already very old and needs repair more and more often.
For example, in August 2020, a pressure drop was recorded aboard the space station, which is a sign of an air leak.
All astronauts and cosmonauts on board were isolated in the Russian Zvezda module.
After some time, it was found out that the air-permeable crack was in the module in which the entire crew temporarily settled.
One of the Russian cosmonauts was able to quickly find the place of leakage with the help of a usual tea bag.
Oxygen on the ISS
According to the India Times, the space station loses about 250 grams of oxygen every day and this is normal - it is difficult to achieve complete tightness.
In the event of an acute shortage of oxygen, it is delivered by cargo ships, but is most often produced directly at the station.
In the second case, members of the ISS use electrolysis - an electric current is passed through the water, as a result of which oxygen appears.
To do this, on board there is a life support system ECLSS, which not only monitors the operation of the station, but also provides people with access to water, protects against fires and so on.
ECLSS technical director Robyn Carrasquillo once praised Russia for using a way to extract moisture from the air, even in the old Salyut and Mir spacecraft.
ECLSS system
Oxygen leakage to the ISS
In August 2020, the space station began to lose about a kilogram of air per day.
The situation was serious, but the lives of the ISS crew were not threatened.
Astronauts from different countries temporarily began to live in the Russian module “Zvezda ” and for four days searched for a leak in other parts of the station.
The search did not give any results, so it became clear that the gap is in the Zvezda module launched more than 20 years ago.
The leak could have occurred for various reasons, for example, due to the collision of the ISS with space debris, which is a lot in near-Earth space.
Also, it was not excluded that seals simply peeled off from the walls of the station, which just do not allow oxygen to leak.
ISS module "Zvezda"
Search for the place of oxygen leakage
An unusual way to find the leak was found by cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin.
He installed several cameras in the module and opened the tea bag.
After some time, the ISS members noticed that the tea leaves began to move slowly towards one of the metal walls of the module.
After studying the trajectory of the leaves, the space crew quickly found the crack formed on the ISS.
First, they taped this place with tape, and then got permission to use a drill and sealant.
It is known that thanks to the trick with a package of tea, the astronauts managed to save about 150 billion dollars.
Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin
The International Space Station is aging and will one day become completely unusable – that ’ s a fact.
New cracks were discovered even in 2021.
Especially there are many of them in the Russian module “Zarya ”, which was launched into space in 1998 and today is the oldest part of the station.
More recently, Vladimir Solovyov, General Designer of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, announced his concerns about the safety of the station.
It is especially frightening that the station is planned to be used even after 2025.
In theory, the use of the old station could cause a terrible disaster.
ISS module "Zarya"
Finally, I note that to replace the old module "Dawn" it was planned to send the module "Science".
But it became an independent module and docked to the ISS in July 2021.
The docking was far from perfect - the module deployed the station at 45 degrees.
19 october 2021 /
• 0
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When will he return to Earth?
China has successfully launched to the moon the apparatus “Chang ’ e-5 ” to collect soil samples.
This is the first such mission in 44 years, and if all goes well, China will become the third country to do so.
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What will it look like?
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On the ISS found a place of air leakage.
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the brain, like the heart, is one of the main organs of the human body.
It consists of many areas, each of which has certain tasks.
Take the brain for example, this
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To locate the source of the leak, Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin used a tea bag, observing the movement of tea leaves toward a metal wall in the Zvezda module.

Temporary measures included isolating the crew in the Zvezda module and closing the hatch in the affected area to ensure the rest of the station remained unaffected.

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Content: 29 Feb, 2024 11:18

Russia comments on space station leak

A NASA official had previously reported that air loss from the Zvezda module had doubled

Air leaking from a segment of the International Space Station (ISS) poses no risk to its crew or the orbital outpost, the Russian space agency Roscosmos has said.

A NASA official had previously reported that the rate at which air was escaping from the satellite's Russian Zvezda module under certain circumstances had doubled. The situation is under control and being constantly monitored, the Roscosmos told Interfax on Wednesday, when asked about remarks by NASA’s ISS program manager, Joel Montalbano,.

”The aging of the station’s structure and the growing need for repair and maintenance work on board require a significant portion of the crew’s time,” Roscosmos said.

Montalbano mentioned the issue during this week’s briefing on the upcoming SpaceX Crew-8 mission, which is scheduled for launch on Friday.

”There is an area in the aft end of the International Space Station. [There is] a small leak. We’ve seen this leak increase about a week before the recent Progress launch and docking,” he said, referring to a Russian automatic supply freighter.

The volume of lost air has increased to about two pounds a day, compared to a pound a day previously, Montalbano said.

”The hatch is closed in that area. It’s not an impact on Crew-8, but I didn’t want anyone to be surprised, if they hear about that later,” he explained.

The use of the module for retrieving the Progress shipment didn’t pose any issues in terms of the leak, he said. The next opening of the hatch is expected in April. While it’s closed, the rest of the station is “solid.”

Technical issues at the ISS are being reported on a regular basis. Roscosmos has said the age of the station is a key reason why it is developing plans for a new purely Russian-manned orbital structure as an alternative to participating in the international project.

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Repair efforts involved using a special sealant to fill the hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft and later sealing cracks in the Zvezda module with a drill and sealant in March 2021.

Despite the air leakage, which caused a pressure drop of 0.4 mm Hg, the situation posed no risk to the crew or the station, as oxygen and nitrogen were pumped in to compensate for the loss.

A special committee formed by the Russian space agency investigated the incident, ruling out industrial defects as the cause of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft's damage.

The hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft was located in a non-critical area, ensuring it did not threaten the crew's return to Earth.